The Slytherin Lioness
by Silverlionessdreamer
Summary: A mysterious girl shows up at Hogwarts when Hermione returns to Hogwarts. The strange girl, called Lyra, is exceptionally close to Draco Malfoy and Hermione is determined to find out why, but the consequences are her own. HG&DM, after war fic
1. A new girl

**Hi everybody. **

**This is my first fic, so that you know. It is called the Slytherin Lioness. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything! The whole world of Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling. **

**I hope you like it!**

The great Hall looked magnificent. Hermione was amazed, like every year. Only this year extra seats were added because there were more people; the 7th years from last year were there as well. Due to the war they couldn't be in Hogwarts last year, so they repeated this year and the new first years were added as well. Not that it mattered. The sorting was just over and all the new children walked happily towards their new House.

Professor McGonagall rose from her seat. She was the headmaster of Hogwarts now. She held her speech, but Hermione didn't listen and looked around who were back. She saw that everybody was back, except the one that had died last year. Suddenly her eye fell on a boy with blond hair. No! He can't be back. Why did he come back? She looked angry at him. He didn't look at her. She saw that his face looked older than it had before. He looked really bad. Just what he deserves, she thought. His eyes flickered to her, and they met hers. She quickly looked away. He wasn't worth her attention.

Professor McGonagall was ready with her speech and after saying; "Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment and Tweak." The tables were loaded with the most delicious food anyone could ever eat. Hermione looked how Ron took almost everything.

'Ron, I'm sure that there is enough food for the rest of the semester,' she looked at her boyfriend. She still couldn't believe that he wanted her. Ron just had put a piece of chicken in his mouth. He shrugged and continued eating. Well, she guessed that she would have to get used to that.

'Harry, could you hand me the potatoes?' said Hermione. Harry, who was in a conversation with Ginny, looked up and gave her them. Ginny looked happy, now they were back together. She had to admit, they looked perfect together. Suddenly the double door of the great Hall swung open and a girl came walking in. She had short black hair that was pointing in every direction. She was quite pretty. Hermione had the idea that she knew the girl, only she couldn't recall it whereof. She was wearing the Hogwarts uniform, without the tie. She looked a lot older than the first years. She was probably fifteen or sixteen.

'I'm sorry professor McGonagall, a ghost named Peeves had sent me the wrong way. My apology for being late,' She spoke with an American accent.

'Don't worry, Miss Black. I hope you didn't mind that we've already started dinner,' McGonagall rose again. Hermione saw from the corner of her eye that Harry flinched when McGonagall said "Black".

'No, not at all.' Black stood there not knowing what to do. She looked around and froze for a second and then she quickly looked back a McGonagall. No one had seen she looked at someone special except Hermione, who had followed her eyes and saw that they stopped at Malfoy. He didn't show anything. Black had looked at him as if she knew him, and didn't want to know him.

'Come, Miss Black, we need you to be sorted into a house. We have four House: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. These Houses will be like your family for the next year. Points will be added for triumphs and deducted for rule breaking. Come, we will sort you.' Black walked forward to McGonagall, fully aware that everybody looked at her. She walked to the stool and sat on it. McGonagall put the sorting hat on Black's head and waited for him to shout the house.

The sorting hat didn't say anything for a long time, it looked like forever. Hermione felt sorry for her. Everybody waited. Hermione looked at Malfoy again, she saw he watching anxiously, like she had to be in Slytherin. Only there for Hermione hoped Black would be in Gryffindor.

'GRYFFINDOR!' shouted the hat suddenly. The Gryffindor table loudest. Hermione looked how Malfoy reacted. He looked disappointed and angry. Not that she'd cared. Black stood up and walked to the Gryffindor table.

'Miss Granger?' said McGonagall, 'I expect you to guide her around the castle, telling how things work around here?'

'Yes, professor McGonagall, 'said Hermione, 'I'll do that.' She stood up as the girl walked closer.

'Hi, I'm Hermione Granger,' Hermione lifted her hand. Black took it and shook it.

'Hi, I'm Lyra Black, I'm from America guess you knew that. I'm sixteen by the way,' Hermione signed her to sit down next to her and sat down as well. Lyra was silent throughout the rest of the dinner. She only answered questions, with short replies. When dinner was over, Hermione lead her, together with the first years, for she was still a Prefect to the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was determined to make her feel at home. When the first years were to their dorm, Lyra was left behind. Hermione left Ron's embrace and walked to her.

'Hi Lyra. So? What do you think of Hogwarts?' Hermione smiled at her.

'Oh, I love it! It is different from MGS, just outside of LA, were I lived. This is so much more magical,' Lyra seemed more at ease now.

'So, why did you move to Britain? I mean, the weather here is worse here than in LA,' asked Hermione. Lyra laughed.

'I love rain, it makes you forget things. Just letting the rain fall on you, making you all wet. And I have family living here, they thought it was time I should come and live here,' Hermione listened carefully.

'So, what's up with you and Malfoy?' Ron interrupted them. Lyra looked indifferent.

'Malfoy... Who is that?' Lyra asked.

'He is a Slytherin, he has blond hair and he is an arrogant ferret. If you'll ask me, someone to avoid,' said Hermione. She walked to a chair near the window and sat down. Ron sat next her and they talked for a while.

'I go to bed, good night Herms,' said Ron and he gave her a kiss on the cheek and left to his dorm.

'May I ask you a question?' asked someone behind her. Hermione felt that her cheeks turned red and guilty she turned around. Lyra was sitting near the fireplace with a book.

'I'm sorry, but yeah sure, shoot it,' Hermione was actually quite curious what she could have to ask.

'Do you love him?' Lyra had put her book away and looked at Hermione.

'Of course I love Ron! Don't be so ridiculous. Why do you ask?' Hermione was surprised that Lyra had asked such a question. She loved Ron more than anything in this world, besides her parents.

'I just needed to know. If your relationship as good as you say it is, then you'll not be broken hearted. Ask him once if he loves you, the way he'll react will give you the answer. I'm going to bed now. Good night,' Lyra stood up, grasped her book and walk to her dorm. 'Oh and by the way, I don't need the tour. I'll be perfectly fine. As tomorrow is Saturday, I make my own tour,' she turned around and walked into her dorm.

Hermione was dazzled. Of course it was good what she had with Ron and nothing or no one could change that. With that thought in mind she walked to her dorm, changed and went to sleep. Nothing could prevent that this was going to be a good year.

_**This is absolutely absurd! This is not how it supposed to be. Now I can only hope that she could shut up and not tell anyone. That would be a disaster. I have to watch every step she makes and be a step ahead of her**_


	2. A story told

Hermione walked into the Great Hall for breakfast and saw that Ron, Harry and Ginny were already there. She didn't see Lyra.

'Good morning, Herms, did you sleep well?' asked Ron after he gave her a little kiss. Ever since they were together, he was so thoughtful and caring.

'Yes, thank you. Have you seen Lyra?' she seated herself next to Ron.

'No, haven't seen her yet. Come eat some,' said Ron and he continued eating. At that moment Lyra walked into the Hall. Closely after her Malfoy walked in, looking angry. Lyra walked to the table where Hermione and the others were seated and sat down next to Harry. Malfoy threw her and Harry some evil glares before walking to his table.

'What has he done to you?' asked Harry worried.

'I'm fine. I ran into Malfoy when I was at my way to the Hall and he followed me, together with his friend, I believe he is called something like Zabiri,' said Lyra while she took some bread, 'They were talking to soft for me to hear what they were saying, but I know they were talking about me. Not that I care, if he really is such a person as you say he is, Hermione, then I have no reason to fear him.' Harry looked at her astonished.

'I'm sorry, but can you explain how you know that? Because I don't understand,' he asked.

'If he is an arrogant ferret, the only thing he will do is talk behind my back and name-call me. He won't actually make a move. And for the fact that they were with the two of them, Malfoy and Zabiri-'

'Zabini, Blaise Zabini,' interrupted Harry her.

'Zabini, right, well being with the two of them means that he can't handle me alone and that he is depended on other people's opinion. If he is such a person, he is easy to take down. You only need to have him alone and in the morning,' Lyra said it like she was telling a strategy.

'Why in the morning?' asked Hermione. She was curious, maybe she could use this strategy for if she wanted to get Malfoy.

'From what I've heard from a lot of people, especially girls, he is known as a Slytherin Sex-god. If he is really as ... busy as I've heard, he must be quite tired in the morning. That means he is easily mad and slower to react to any threat.' Lyra put a piece of bread in her mouth.

'What you also could do to annoy him is to toy his feelings-' Lyra was interrupted by a held back laugh of Hermione. Lyra looked weird at her.

'I'm sorry, but Malfoy and feelings, that's like ... well impossible. He is not capable of feeling anything that has to do with love,' Hermione couldn't help; she had to laugh a bit. Harry joined in and within no time they all laughed except for Lyra. People were watching them for their sudden outburst. Lyra's faced stayed serious.

'How do you know? Did you ever confronted him and he wasn't able to reflect your love? Or did you ever go and talk to him to get to know him better and then you saw he was just cold? Or is it just an assumption made by the fact he is name-calling you and you are enemies? Everybody has feelings, except psychopaths, but yeah, how big the chance Malfoy is one?' The smile on Hermione's face faded.

'Maybe, you can't see that he is incapable of loving for the fact that you fell in love with him and everything about him is perfect,' said Hermione and Lyra laughed softly.

'I haven't fallen in love with him, but out of principles, I don't think bad of someone, in the way you do about Malfoy, before he or she has proven that to me. Will you excuse me; I think I'm going to spend the rest of my day walking through this wonderful castle.' Lyra smiled and stood up. She walked away, swinging her hips, in such a way that every boy in the Hall had to look at her, including Ron.

'Stop it Ron,' Hermione felt a flag a jealousy, but it quickly faded. She had nothing to fear. Lyra was someone that needed a friend and she would be one for her.

Hermione found Lyra later that day under a tree, next to the black lake reading a book. She saw in Lyra the girl she used to be, reading somewhere, instead of making friends. Only Lyra had a sense of fashion. Lyra could look absolutely great in her uniform, like the uniform was made for her. She was wearing a cap that protected her eyes form the sun.

'What book are you reading?' asked Hermione, just to be nice.

"Pride and Prejudice" from Jane Austin,' Lyra said no more and continued reading her book.

'I'm sorry if anything I said has upset you, but the prejudice I have towards Malfoy is the result of years of name-calling. I'm not going to like him.' Lyra put a book marker in her book and closed it.

'Come, sit next to me,' said Lyra while she patted the grass. Hermione sat down.

'What does MGS actually mean?' asked Hermione.

'It means Magical Guides School, it is not very special. You get a book and you should master the spells after a certain amount of spells. Same goes for history. For Herbiolgy was there theory and fro potions an angry looking professor who'd be rather somewhere else and didn't do anything when something went wrong. It is suppose to be the best school in America for witches and wizards. You learn to take care of yourself, to protect yourself. I had to hex some guys, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here. Well, that is what you get with no rules. If you'd compare it to here, your relationship with Malfoy equals best friends around there. I'm glad that I could move here.' Lyra leaned against the tree, closing her eyes.

'What relatives do live here?' Hermione was curious to get to know her. She looked like a smart person.

'My parents and older brother, they are all magical. I wanted to live in America and so I could move to friends there. You'll notice that in a couple of day, I'll speak with a British accent, I adapt very quickly,' Lyra looked at Hermione, 'and you?'

'When I was eleven I got a letter from Hogwarts that I was a witch. I have muggle parents.' Lyra smiled.

'You have muggle parents and you're the best of the class. You must be a quick learner. I was also the best of my class back there. Not that I want us to battle, I'm just looking for similarities,' said Lyra.

'May I ask you something?' Hermione couldn't hold her curiosity anymore. She had to know.

'You just did, but sure,' Lyra laughed.

'Are you related to a Sirius Black?' Hermione looked hopeful at Lyra.

'No, I'm sorry. He was that guy that betrayed the Potters to you-know-who, right?' Lyra asked.

'No, it was nothing like that! He was portrayed as a betrayer. He was innocent.' Hermione felt sorry for Harry. Lyra nodded.

'You know, I think I'm going to have a great time here,' said Lyra. Hermione laughed and it all seemed good.

_**I need to let her know that what she is doing is wrong. She should have known that. If she let that friendship be any closer, I have to interfere. Then she leaves me no option.**_


	3. Quidditch

**Just as a remark, I'm Dutch so there might be mistakes in the story****. If you've spotted one, please tell me! It would only improve my English. But enough about me, let's continue with the story.**

The days flew by and soon Quidditch started, that meant that Harry, Ginny and Ron had to practice. Therefore, Hermione could spend more of her time with Lyra. She would help Lyra with homework and explained the rules of Quidditch to her. Lyra couldn't care less for the game:

'My brother finds it fantastic, but I don't like flying, you are so far away from the ground. I can fly, but I just don't like it,' was Lyra's only reaction.

But every time Hermione tried to ask something about Lyra's family, she simply changed subject. After a while Hermione rested the case and decided that it didn't matter. They spent most of their time together in the library, where the both felt at home.

It was Saturday morning; the first Quidditch match would start this afternoon. When Lyra walked into the Hall, she bounced into Malfoy and it looked like he said something to her, but she didn't seem to care and quickly moved out of his way, walking on to the Gryffindor table.

'Was that Malfoy speaking to you?' asked Ron after she was seated. Because she had spent so much time with Hermione, Ron Harry and Ginny had accepted her as friend.

'He was just saying that I should tell you, Harry and Ginny that they would lose the match today. You're right Hermione, it is indeed better to avoid him,' Lyra didn't look manipulated by Malfoy's attitude. She was a little bit bigger than Harry, but Malfoy was a least half a head bigger then her.

'Why didn't you say something back?' said Ron, 'I thought you were so good in that.'

'Firstly he was not along, and second I thought you were the one that supposed to kick his ass on the Quidditch field. So don't let me down, Ron, make me proud,' replied Lyra sarcastic. Everybody laughed.

They were playing for five straight hours now. Hermione could read from Lyra's face that she was bored. Slytherin was on the lead with one-hundred-and-ten points to ninety.

'Why don't you go back to the castle, and read a good book? I think you'll enjoy that better,' proposed Hermione.

'No, I'm trying to see what is so fun about this game, and I promised my brother that I watched a full match. So I chose this one.' At that moment her head snapped, a second later she was holding something in her hand.

'Wow, great reflex, what is it?' said Hermione. Lyra opened her hand and in it was the Golden Snitch. She was looking at it as if she had no idea what she had to do with it. The wings of the Snitch fowled back in, and what was left was a golden ball in Lyra's hand.

'They didn't win! It is against the rules!' Malfoy yelled at Madam Hooch in the middle of the Quidditch pitch. The Slytherin team, the Gryffindor team, Hermione and Lyra stood there as well.

'I'm sorry mister Malfoy, a Gryffindor caught the Snitch and gave it to mister Potter, that means that mister Potter was the first seeker to hold the Snitch and that means he ended the match.' Madam Hooch tried to calm Malfoy down, but failed.

'He didn't actually catch it. I demand that this match will be repeated.' Malfoy started to look red, which wasn't his usual colour. Hermione had troubles not to laugh. He looked ridiculous. But it was Malfoy, for Merlin's sake.

'Gryffindor won and that is the end mister Malfoy. Now all of you back to the castle and don't try to hurt each other, or you'll be faster expelled than you can say Quidditch.' Malfoy looked angry at Lyra. She just stared back. That made him even angrier.

'Let's go!' he groaned to his team and, without making a comment, he and his team walked back to the castle. Harry walked up to Lyra.

'Don't worry, if he hurts you, we'll take him back.' Harry laid a hand on her shoulder.

'I'm not worried that he hurts me, I'm worried that he'll hurt any of you,' she looked around to the members of the team.

'Don't worry, 'said Ginny, 'He'll pay for it double when he even tries to hurt us.' Lyra laughed.

_**She doesn't know her place, like she should. She is rude. I have to punish her. She leaves me no choice. She'll get to know the consequence of that action.**_

The next morning at the Gryffindor table Lyra was treated like a hero. Harry had asked her a couple of time, if she wanted to join the Gryffindor team, but she had rejected the offer. She didn't like Quidditch, and this wouldn't change that. Hermione didn't really pay attention; she was too busy with Ron. __

'Hey, Lyra, Malfoy is staring at you,' said Harry. Lyra turned around to look at him and quickly turned back.

'He is still pissed about the match yesterday. I'm not planning to pay any attention to it,' Lyra wisely spoke and started her breakfast.

'Ah, the mail,' said Ginny when suddenly owls came flying in. Lyra didn't pay attention to it.

'Back at MGS we would only get mail once a month, if we were lucky.' Hermione noticed that Lyra had a British accent now, but you could still hear that she came out of America, if you'd listen closely. Hermione also noticed that Lyra didn't get any letter so far. Somehow she didn't to care. Only today was different, a grey owl flew up to Lyra and dropped a small note. Surprised she picked it up and read it. Her expression changed. It looked somehow frightened.

'Who wrote the note?' asked Ron curiously.

'Oh, it's nothing,' said Lyra quick, put it in her pocket and smiled. She finished her breakfast faster the normal and stood up.

'Will you excuse me, I have some unfinished businesses that require my attention,' Hermione nodded and Lyra walked away in a solid pace. Hermione was always surprised when Lyra talked that way, sometime she believed that Lyra read too much Jane Austin books.

Five minutes after Lyra left Harry suddenly said: 'Where is Malfoy going?' Hermione turned around just to see that Malfoy walked out the Hall.

'I have no idea,' said Hermione, she was just as curious as Harry was.

When Hermione walked into the Gryffindor common room that afternoon with Ron next to her, she found Lyra reading by the fireplace. She looked sad. Hermione pulled lose from the embrace, gave a kiss to Ron and walked to Lyra.

'Are you okay? You look sad,' asked Hermione concerned.

'I'm fine, just a bit tired,' Lyra laid her book, "Sense and sensibility", again from Jane Austin, on the table next to her.

'Did you have problems with Malfoy this day? I hope that ferret didn't want to hurt you,' said Hermione. Lyra smiled.

'No, he didn't hurt me. And, did you have a nice day?' Lyra asked. Hermione nodded and talked about her day. Life at Hogwarts was never as good.

_**It didn't work; I need to change my method. If I can't take her down, I need to take her friend out. And I'll do that with pleasure.**_

**It might be a bit boring now, but patience is a good thing. **

**Please tell what you think of it! **


	4. An empty classroom

**Sorry that I haven't uploaded lately, but I had a lot of homework. Why do all teachers seem to think that we have nothing to do? Anyway, let's continue with the story!**

Hermione walked outside to sit with her friends, but someone blocked her way, Malfoy.

'Move, mudblood,' said Malfoy trying to pass her, but she stopped him.

'No, Malfoy, not before you said please,' Hermione liked to tease him. Malfoy looked behind him and heard the footsteps come closer, he turned to face her again and then said something Hermione never believed he would say that.

'Could you please move Granger?' His eyes were almost begging her.

'Sure,' said Hermione surprised and stepped aside.

'Thanks,' he muttered before running past her. A second later a group of girls came running around the corner, screaming:

'There he is!' and they started to chase after him, as fast as their heels would allow them. Hermione could believe what just happened, but she liked it. Malfoy did what she said, because he was on the run for girls. Smiling Hermione walked outside to the bench where her friends sat.

'Hey guys, you'll never believe what just happened,' said Hermione still half laughing, and half surprised.

'Well, what happened,' asked Ron, while pulling her on his lap.

'I was walking outside when I almost bumped into Malfoy, demanding me to step aside. I didn't and told him that he first had to say please. And miraculous, he said please and thanks when he passed,' said Hermione, feeling somehow weird. She didn't know what she felt.

'Yeah, so?' said Ron uninterested.

'Did you ever hear Malfoy say please to me? That stupid ferret, that has done nothing else but to insult me, suddenly said please,' said Hermione standing up. Ron still looked uninterested. He didn't understand what it felt like to be called a mudblood. He'd never seem to understand her when they were talking about these subjects. It made her wonder what see ever saw in him. He didn't even try to look at it from her view.

'I still don't see why you are so excited about it. I mean it is just Malfoy,' Ron was pissing her off.

'Ronald, yes it is Malfoy we are talking about, that's why. He has never been nice to me in the past 7 years and now suddenly he says please and thanks. But you wouldn't know what it feels like to be called a mudblood, now would you?' Hermione felt tears rise, 'Ron, please tell me, do you like me?' Ron seemed surprised by this question. But she had to know. The question of Lyra popped in her head.

'Herms, what are you talking about?' said Ron. He didn't say that he loved her. She couldn't believe it. Why wasn't he jumping up and telling her that he loved her?

Why wasn't he holding her, saying that she was acting crazy? Maybe he didn't love her. Maybe...

'It's over,' she said without thinking. Without saying another word, she stood up and walked away. She didn't look around to see what Ron was doing, if he was smart he would stop her. But he didn't, that was the final answer. Now she thought about it, she wasn't quite sure if she loved him.

On her way to the Gryffindor common room, she met Lyra, who looked surprised to see her this way.

'I need some time. I guess you were right, I don't love Ron,' Hermione felt a tear running down her cheek.

'Go to the fifth floor, there is a classroom no one uses. There you can think without someone interfering,' Lyra said. Hermione nodded and walked to the room Lyra told her to go to. Luckily she didn't have any more classes today. She'd reached the room opened the door and walked in. Lyra was right, no one used it. She threw her back on the ground and sat with her back against a wall. It was an old classroom and it was dark in there. The tears came quickly now. How could she be so stupid to believe Ron wanted her? She was only interested in him because he looked up to her, she just misunderstood her feelings. This was the worst day of her life.

She had no idea how long she had been there. The tears were gone now. Now she had a clear mind, she could see that her relationship with Ron would not stand, they were too different.

She was terrified by the door that suddenly opened. She couldn't see who was in the doorway and the door was shut.

She took her wand and whispered: 'Lumos' The room was lighted and she could see the boy that leaned against the door, happy that he could hide here. He was less happy when he saw who was in the room. The candles in the room started to burn so that Hermione could lower her wand, not that she did it.

'Granger?'

'Malfoy? What are you doing here? Get out!' Hermione started to yell. She couldn't use someone like Malfoy right now.

'Be quiet. Or they'll find me,' he whispered.

'Give me one good reason,' said Hermione, but just a little softer.

'When the girls find me, I'll be buried under kisses, and that is not funny,' he said when he saw Hermione laughing, 'besides when they find me here with you, they won't keep you unharmed. They think we are involved,' he almost spitted out the word, 'and they'll hurt you so they'll have me for their selves. Is that what you want?' Malfoy looked at her.

'I don't know, maybe I'll tell them that I've kept you here for them to find you,' Hermione couldn't help to tease him. He turned his head and turned it back, with his eyes begging her to be quiet. She opened her mouth, pretending to talk, but didn't get a chance, because she felt a big hand on her mouth. Malfoy! What was he thinking? She was struggling to get loose and he said:

'Be quiet and stop struggling, it is not that I like this, said Malfoy harsh. Calm Hermione, she thought to herself, if you are calm now, you can take him back when he doesn't pay attention. She stopped struggling and waited until he would get his hand of her mouth. She was fully aware that she was standing very close to him; closer then she'd ever wanted to be. One of his hands was covering her mouth, the other was wrapped around her waist, to keep her close to him, and so she wouldn't run and betray him. He was stronger then she thought he'd be and that scared her. But she outsmarted him, that was her advantageous.

She could feel his chest moving very fast up and down, why was he breathing so fast? It made her feel uncomfortable. She waited five minutes then she started struggling again. Though she had a hand covering her mouth she could manage to say:

'I think they are gone, let me go now!' said Hermione. Malfoy let her go and she turned around so that she faced him. She felt her hand tingling to hit him. She had done it once, in their third year. Why not now again. He wasn't paying attention and Hermione lunged.

'AU! What? Was that necessarily?' said Malfoy touching his red cheek where Hermione had hit him.

'Yes, you shouldn't have kept me down,' She turned around, walked to get her bag and walked on to the door. She took the doorknob and tired to open it, nothing happened.

'Malfoy, did you lock the door?' asked Hermione, still angry. Malfoy looked surprised at her with one hand on his cheek.

'Is the door locked then?' Hermione nodded. That said enough, she took her wand and said: 'Alohomora.' The door didn't open. How weird, she tried to caste some other spells, even "Bomborda Maxima" but nothing helped. She had to face it; she was stuck with Malfoy in this classroom, which no one used. So nobody would even think to check this place.

'What are you doing Granger? Just get out of here,' Malfoy was still pissed that she had hit him, why he didn't do anything, was a mystery to her.

'That is the problem Malfoy, the room is locked. We can't get out. Great, now I'm stuck with you. This is the worst day of my life so far,' Hermione fought against the tears that started to rise again.

'You're sure you'd tried everything?' Malfoy took a step closer to her.

'Yes, I'm sure, why don't you try?' said Hermione. Boys, always thinking they are better, but when something has to be done, they're gone. He walked to the door and tried to open it, but in vain.

'I left my wand in my dorm, I had to leave in a hurry,' confessed Malfoy, but the moment he said it he realized it was stupid that he said that to her. Hermione looked at him. Now she had control over him, and he knew it. That's why he didn't hex me, he couldn't. She threw her bag on the ground and sat on one of the old benches that still stood there. Malfoy leaned against a wall.

'So, what's next?' he asked.

'What are you talking about?'

'Well, what are we going to do, just sit and do nothing,' answered Malfoy annoyed.

'Well it seems like it,' said Hermione. What else does he want to do, fight? After a silence Hermione had to ask Malfoy something.

'Why did you say please this afternoon, and thanks? It is not like you,'

'Didn't you like it? I could also push you away, but saying please was the fastest way to escape the girls. And saying thanks was a mistake, it won't happen again,' said Malfoy defensively.

Hermione replied, saying something she'd never thought she would say to Malfoy: 'I hope the girls didn't catch you.' Malfoy looked surprised when she said that. It was something he had never expected as well.

'Nope, I was faster. I got to the dorm and stupidly enough left my wand there, before I noticed there was no way back and I had to run somewhere. Luckily someone told me about this classroom. And now I'm hiding here. What about you, what are you doing here?' Hermione wondered who had told him. But then she decided that it didn't matter.

'I needed a place to think and get things straight,' she answered. What was she doing! She was having a conversation with Malfoy! And it wasn't so bad. He hadn't insulted her yet. It felt quite good... Wait right there! She caught her own mind thinking something she'd never want. Did she actually like a conversation with Malfoy? This is getting absurd. Suddenly she had to think of Ron and to hide the rising tears from Malfoy, she looked at the ground. She didn't notice that Malfoy had come closer to her. When she looked up after she gained control of her emotions, she noticed him being closer then she thought.

'What are you doing?' She stood up and took her wand.

'I have no idea. You just look so sad. Did something happen?' He looked really worried, which is so not Malfoy.

'Why should I tell you, it is not like you care,' Said Hermione, trying to make herself bigger then she was. Malfoy took another step forward, and Hermione felt so little. Why is he so tall?

'I guess you're right, why would you tell me? But then again, I'm the one you got locked up with,' He got a point. But was not enough for Hermione to tell him.

'Okay, I'll start; the only thing I ever wanted was that my father would recognize I was his son, instead of just another guy. So I did what was asked of me, I became enemies with Potter and insulted you. I didn't make me feel good, but it was expected from me. After my father was put in Azkaban, the dark lord approached me, saying that he had an important task for me. I had to get Deatheaters in the castle and I should kill Dumbledore. I thought that when I did that, father would be proud of me. And it made me look cool in front of the other Slytherins. Now I realize that I've been stupid. I couldn't kill Dumbledore, I'm might be evil and not nice, I'm not a murderer. I wasn't aware of the things that happened until the big fight in the castle, I was just trying to stay alive. I realize that I've been wrong, and I still don't realize that I own my life here to Potter. Okay, you can say it; I screwed up, didn't I. And the most stupid thing is, that girls still want me, after all I have done,' Malfoy sat down, covering his face with his hands. Hermione needed time to progress what she'd just heard.

'I didn't know, what Lucius Malfoy did to you,' Hermione sat down again. Her problems didn't seem big, hearing Malfoy's.

'I'm sorry, for whatever I said to you,' said he and she could see the regret in his sliver eyes. Hermione didn't answer.

'Say something! Yell, name-call me, but say something. I can't stand the silence!' Malfoy stood up and started to throw some stools through the room. It scared Hermione.

'Why did you tell me all this?' she said very softly, afraid that any loud noise would make him even more angry. Wait this doesn't make any sense, she thought, I'm the one with the wand, and yet Malfoy intimidates me? What is going on? Malfoy stood still and turned around.

'I haven't got a clue,' he seemed to be calm again. He sat down on an old teacher chair, and ran his hands through his hair.

'And what about you? Why are you here?' Malfoy looked interested.

'I told you already, I needed to get things straight,' Hermione wasn't going to tell him. She knew that he had told her, but she couldn't tell him.

'It is okay, I can understand that you don't want to tell me. I wouldn't tell myself either, if that helps you. O wait, that is impossible, hiding things from me,' he tried to make a joke, and although it was a bad one, Hermione had to laugh. Malfoy face relaxed, and she saw him smile. Suddenly she realised that he was tensed, the whole time.

'Maybe it is possible to say something to yourself to make you believe it. Although, I don't see why someone would do that,' Hermione felt more at ease, now Malfoy relaxed.

'You know, you're not that bad, you're different then I first thought you were,' Hermione was tensed again.

'What did you think of me,' asked Hermione suspiciously. This was ridiculous, why was she so dependent on Malfoy's opinion of her? This was not normal.

'I thought you read like 24/7 and when you didn't read you were commanding Potter and Weasly around. I thought you were an annoying, bossy, perfectionist, a know-it all,' He answered honestly, again something she'd never expected of Malfoy.

'And now?' for some reason Hermione needed to know.

'You're a smart, nice girl, who has great friends taking care of her and who is at the good side,' It looked like he wanted to add something, but he swallowed it. He was being nice to her for the first time in her life. She got a weird feeling in her stomach, weird but good. Suddenly, she got reminded of Ron. Before she knew it, a tear was running down her face. She tried to hide it but Malfoy had already noticed it. He stood up and it looked like he was thinking what to do next. I'm not going to cry, thought Hermione but it was too late. Now Malfoy would think she was weak and she could have that.

'What do you want me to do?' Malfoy still stood awkwardly not knowing what to do.

'Just stay there,' she didn't need him to come closer. But at the same time she wanted someone to hold her. The tears were running rapidly now. Why did Ron do that to her. Okay she broke up with him, but he didn't tell her that he loved her. Was it a lie? Maybe he only got involved with her because he didn't know if he would live or die. What if he never even loved her? She couldn't believe that Ron had so much effect on her. What happened to the old Hermione? The Hermione that didn't really care what Ron though about her.

'Stupid Ron,' she whispered to herself, so soft that Malfoy wouldn't hear her. She had no idea what he was doing and she didn't care. She was barely aware to who the two arms around her belonged to. She turned around and buried her face in his shirt.

'It is okay. Just cry,' Malfoy kept holding her until she stopped crying and even after he didn't let go. Hermione didn't want to admit to herself, but she kind of liked it. She was still in his embrace. This was wrong, so wrong. She pulled herself out of his embrace and walked to the door, grapping her bag on the way.

She opened the door, surprised it was open and quickly walked to the Gryffindor common room, it was almost dinner time. She ignored the looks from her friends and tried to avoid Ron. She threw her bag on her bed and tried to forget what just happened, hoping Malfoy would do the same. But things changed between them, it could never go back to where it just to be. She knew too much about him to hate him unconditionally. She had no idea what just happened and what would be the result.

_**This is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong; this is horrible wrong, this is terrible wrong, this is irreversibly wrong. And I did it. **_

**Like it? Dislike it? Please review! **


	5. The confrontation

Hermione couldn't forget what Malfoy did. He didn't change, he was still acting an arrogant ferret to her, but the name-calling stopped. It was just Granger. Was that because he opened up to? How many people would know what she knew about Malfoy? Knowing him not much, but yeah, he told it to her so maybe she wasn't the only one. And why did he even run from girls? He did like girls, did he? He liked their attention. There is a reason why he is called the Slytherin sex god. She didn't know what to think of him.

Lyra lay under the same tree as she always did. Hermione joined her. They didn't speak. Lyra looked at Hermione carefully and was the first one to put an end to the silence.

'What is going on? I've never seen you so quiet. I know about Ron, but that can't be the only reason,' Lyra said.

'Did you see any change in Malfoy behaviour towards me?' Hermione looked her in her grey, silver eyes.

'No, well, he stopped calling you mudblood, if that is where you're pointing at,' Lyra always noticed if something changed, 'why? Did he do something to you?'

'He told me his life story, why he'd chosen the bad side. He was kind to me. He even hugged me. I don't know what to think. It is not Malfoyish. I don't know what he tried to say, if he was trying to say something,' Hermione had the feeling that she could spread out her heart to Lyra.

'Write him a note saying that you need to speak to him. Confront him; ask him why he did that. That is the only way to find out,' what Lyra said made sense. But to write a note, wasn't that too much?

'What should be in that note then?' Hermione asked. She had no idea what to put in the note.

'Say that you want to meet him at a certain time in the old, not used classroom. I think he'll get that hint,' Hermione smiled. Malfoy had to be an idiot not to get that hint.

'Do you have, by any coincidence, a quill, ink and parchment?'

Hermione paced through the old classroom. This was ridiculous! Why had she written to Malfoy? Why did she want to confront him? He told her how he felt and now she couldn't stop thinking about him. It. Him. Suddenly she stopped. What was she thinking! She was being stupid, trusting Malfoy. Luckily she didn't sign it with her name. She needed to get out of here and pretend nothing happened. Hermione walked through the room and was almost at the door when it opened. Malfoy looked in and saw her. He seemed to doubt whether he should come in, or to stay out.

After she heard the footsteps on the floor, he rushed in and closed the door behind him. He sighed when the footsteps on the other side of the door disappeared. Hermione still couldn't move, she was thinking about what to say. It was Malfoy who broke the silence.

'Why did you ask me to come here?' asked Malfoy, he seemed curious.

'Why did you tell me your life story?' replied Hermione. Malfoy laughed.

'I told you before, I have no idea,' said Malfoy and leaned against the door.

'Why are you running?' said Hermione, trying to keep up the conversation.

'Don't you know? There is a ball coming up for year 4 till 7. And it is girl's choice. So who are you inviting, Weasly?' Malfoy had hit a nerve, and suddenly Hermione felt the pain again. It wasn't as painful as last time, but she felt the tears coming. Oh no! She wasn't going to cry in front of Malfoy, again. But before she could help it, a tear run down her cheek. She turned around do that Malfoy didn't see it, but it was too late.

'Oh no, stop crying Granger, I'm not in the mood,' said Malfoy annoyed. That made Hermione stop crying. He was right; she wasn't going to cry in front of him.

'You still haven't answered my question Malfoy,' said Hermione and turned back to face him.

'I don't have to answer any of your questions,' said Malfoy and he opened the door and walked away. Hermione couldn't believe this was happening. He told her his life story and now he wasn't talking to her. Well, now she didn't need to worry. Malfoy stayed Malfoy.

Days past and nothing changed. Malfoy continued being a jerk. Hermione couldn't avoid Ron as much as she'd wanted. She spent more time with Lyra. Three weeks after Malfoy started being a jerk again, Hermione walked to Lyra who was sitting under her tree with her book next to her... She sat down and looked at Lyra. Lyra never seemed to worry about anything. Hermione's held was full of questions. About Malfoy. She had tried to forget what happened, but she just couldn't wrap her head around it. And that was something she just couldn't stand. She needed to understand.

'Why do you think Malfoy did it?' asked Hermione. She knew it was silly, that she thought of Malfoy, but she just couldn't rest the case.

'Stop it Hermione. Just stop thinking about him and forget it. He probably told you because you were the only girl that wasn't planning to jump him. Now just let it rest. You should focus on Ron. You can't avoid him forever. Walk up to him and tell him that you want to be friends,' said Lyra. Somewhere she had a point. But Hermione wouldn't confront Ron. He would laugh at her. Hermione just shrugged.

'I'm not going to confront Ron,' said Hermione weakly. Lyra sighted.

'So you'd rather confront Draco Malfoy, your enemy for almost 7 years, instead of Ron, your friend and ex? That just doesn't make any sense. If you don't want to confront Ron, then confront Malfoy. At least then one of your worries is over,' this was the first time Hermione saw Lyra annoyed. Lyra never lost her temper. Suddenly a small detail popped into Hermione's head. Something Malfoy said.

'Who do you think had told him about the classroom?' said Hermione suddenly. Lyra looked startled.

'What?' asked Lyra.

'He said that someone told him about the old classroom. I wonder who did that,' Was it Lyra? She couldn't believe that.

'I don't know. Why don't you ask him? I think he is the only one who could tell you,' Lyra opened her book and started to read. They said there in silence. Maybe I could do some homework for Ancient runes, thought Hermione. She opened her bag and saw that she left her Ancient runes book in her dorm.

'I just go and get my Ancient runes book from my dorm, okay?' asked Hermione. Lyra nodded Hermione stood up and walked to the Gryffindor common room. When she turned around the corner she bounced into someone. She looked up and saw it was Malfoy. He looked over his shoulder, grabbed her arm and started to pull her in a small hidden corridor, next to them. They almost stood chest to chest. She wanted to scream. What was he doing? What in Merlin's name was that ferret doing?

She opened her mouth to scream, but before any sound could come out, her mouth was covered by Malfoy's hand.

'Be quiet, Granger. If they find us, I'll make your life even more miserable,' Said Malfoy. Hermione wanted to pull herself, only to find out that she couldn't move because Malfoy was holding her too tight. Again. This couldn't be happening. The footsteps were gone. Hermione saw her chance and punched him hard in his stomach, with the little room they had. He bended over, and unfortunately he bended so far that their heads bounced. AU! That hurts! Hermione lifted her arm and felt the spot where their heads met. AHH! That really hurts!

'What the hell, Granger,' whispered Malfoy angry.

'Get out of here, they are gone. Just leave me alone,' Hermione wanted to walk away but she was stopped by Malfoy.

'Leave you alone? So you think I'm doing this for fun? Hiding with you? The whole day I'm running and the last thing I want is to be stuck with you in some corridor. And by the way, they'll be back in 5 seconds, so could you just shut up?' Malfoy was still pissed. She couldn't believe that she was here, in this small corridor with Malfoy. But he was right, the girls were back.

'Where is he?' She heard one shouting. The footsteps were hard and covered the whole floor.

'If I'll find him I'll hex him so that he goes with me to the ball.' The voice was loud and close. If Hermione made any noise, she and Malfoy would be discovered. He looked at her, warning her not to make a sound or move.

'No you don't! He is mine!' That was Parkinson, no doubt, 'If I see anyone of you with him, I'll hex you and make sure that no boy will ever lay an eye on you again. And when I find him, he will be so sorry that he avoided me and he will marry me. Now girls, let's find him. We have till Friday.' Hermione pitied Malfoy that he had to get through this every day. Wait, did she just pitied Malfoy? That is impossible. How could she pity him? Malfoy leaned to the other wall, as far away as possible. He was tensed. Really tensed. He relaxed a bit when he heard the footsteps disappear. She wanted to leave.

'You can't go. They'll be back,' warned Malfoy, like he could read her mind. Why would he care?

'Then how long do I have to stay here, with you?' asked Hermione slightly annoyed.

'At least ten minutes,' He answered.

'Oh wow, that is all that I ever wanted,' said Hermione sarcastic. He couldn't appreciate it.

'Look, do you think that I want this,' He leaned towards her. He was close now.

'Yes, 'because otherwise you would let me go. Why are you keeping me here?' asked Hermione. Malfoy laughed.

'Fine, then go if you like. If you get killed by Pansy, don't blame me,' said Malfoy and he leaned back. She heard footsteps pass quickly and decided that they girls chasing Malfoy were a bigger threat to her. She leaned against the wall. He looked her in the eye. Hermione wasn't going to be the one that looked away first. But this was a good opportunity to interrogate him.

'Who told you that the old classroom on the fifth floor wasn't used?' Hermione's curiosity was high. She needed to know. Why she didn't know. But she had to.

'I don't know. I can't remember,' He shrugged and seemed uninterested.

'Why don't you name-call Lyra?' It was out there before she realized. But it was true. He didn't look at her, he didn't name-call her, he just pretended that she didn't exist. Why was that? Wasn't she a new person to insult?

'Who?' Malfoy tried to act like he didn't know, but Hermione could see that he did. She wasn't going to react, because she wanted to know. When she thought of Malfoy lately she had this feeling that she needed to know everything about him. Hermione couldn't understand why.

'Lyra Black. You know, short, black hair. In Gryffindor, walked in late on the first day back here? No? Wow, you keep surprising me, you are even dumber than I thought,' Hermione felt good insulting him. Malfoy looked really angry and leaned to her.

'Stop insulting me, you, you mudblood. I'm not taking this,' he brought his head on Hermione's eye level.

'What where you planning to do about it?' Hermione looked at him.

'Obviously, hex you,' said Malfoy.

'As if you'd win a wizard duel from me,' laughed Hermione.

'Yeah, yeah I think I would!' Malfoy started to talk louder.

'You are so annoying!' yelled Hermione. She couldn't stand being in the corridor with Malfoy anymore and walked out of it, to the main hallway. He followed her.

'I'm annoying? Have you ever looked at yourself?' He yelled back. The conversation became louder and louder. A few people stopped to watch it.

'Well, at least I'm not standing half an hour in front of the mirror!' Hermione knew she had made a good comment when she saw his face getting tenser.

'No, I can see that. I wonder if you've ever looked in a mirror. Oh wait, they break every time you-' She interrupted him. That was it! She wasn't going to take anymore comments! She wasn't going to play it nice anymore.

'You stupid, Arrogant, ANNOYING FERRET!' she was yelling at the top of her lungs.

'APOLOGISE MUDBLOOD, NOW!' he yelled back.

'Forget it Malfoy!' she turned around and walked away. She wasn't going to be near him, not now. Calm, Hermione, calm. You don't want to hex him. That will only case more problems. Before she knew it, she was stopped by Malfoy, who had grabbed her upper arm, quite firmly. It hurt.

'Let go, you are hurting me!' she tried to pull loose, but she failed.

'Apologise now!' He was really angry right now.

'No,' she knew she was really close to his line, but she was too angry to step back. She wanted to cross his line. She wanted him to be angry. He bended forward so that they were eye to eye. Their faces were less than an inch away.

'Apologise Granger,' she could feel his breath on her cheek as he spoke those words, too calmly. She had expected him to yell, but the words were more as a whisper. She opened her mouth to contradict him, but before she could say anything, she heard a loud scream across the hallway.

'Draco! How could you? You were about to kiss that mudblood! I thought you loved me! Oh, the whole school will hear about this.' Pansy strove off and all the other girls followed. Malfoy let go of Hermione immediately. She took a step back. He threw her an angry looked before he walked away. Hermione had no idea what just happened. Did he really wanted to kiss her, or was that just Pansy's imagination? He had been really close to her face tough. She grabbed he bag off the ground, while she had no idea how it came there and tried to calm herself walking back to Lyra.

'You're alright? You look worried,' Lyra's book was already closed and she sat upright, as if she knew this was something bad.

'I walked to the Gryffindor common room and before I got there Malfoy pulled me into a corridor, because he had to hide for the girls. I confronted him and we got in a fight. I walked away, because I didn't want to be near him and he pulled me back, with his face less than an inch away. Then Pansy came, and yelled that he wanted to kiss me. I thought he wanted to yell at me,' she sat down. Why had Malfoy done that? Did he wanted to kiss her? No she was being ridiculous.

'Did you wanted it to be a yell or a kiss?' said Lyra.

'What! A kiss from that ferret? No way!' what was Lyra thinking? She didn't want a kiss from him and that would never change.

'If you say so,' Lyra returned to her book. Hermione started to think. No, she wanted it to be a yell, nothing else. She had to stop confronting him that would take all her problems away. Except for the fact that he hadn't told her why he had told her his life story, why he had been nice in the first place. If he wanted to kiss her would solve all the questions running through her head. WOW, wait! Was she actually thinking that Malfoy wanted to kiss her. No, that was impossible. He didn't want that, did he?

'Hermione, stop worrying. He probably thinks the same way about this as you do. And Pansy is just jealous that you got to talk to him, and she couldn't you really think she is going to tell the school? If she does, she can forget that Malfoy wants to go to the ball with her.' Lyra had a point there. Hermione felt better.

'Speaking of the ball, have you already asked someone?' Lyra was surprised by the question.

'I'm not going to the ball. I don't like the dancing,' said Lyra honestly.

'What? But you can meet people on balls, talk to them, you know?' Why did Lyra didn't like going to balls? Just because of the dancing. That is just weird.

'Yes I know. But the only one in my family who enjoys going to balls is my mother. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to work in the library,' said Lyra after checking her watch. She stood up and walked back to the castle. Hermione thought about Lyra had said and decided that Malfoy wanted to yell at her. She stood up and walked to the Gryffindor common room.

'Hey mudblood! On your way to the library?' Hermione heard a high voice behind her and when she turned around, she saw that it was Pansy with some other girls behind her. Only then Hermione noticed she was walking via the library to the Gryffindor common room.

'No, I'm on my way back to the common room,' replied she, trying to stay calm.

'Of course, no coincidence that Malfoy is in the library where he had to meet someone,' Pansy took a step forward.

'Instead of you, I don't care where Malfoy is,' and having said that, Hermione turned around and walked on to her common room. Her mind wondering, who Malfoy wanted to see. When she reached the portrait she promised herself that she didn't care and that she would leave Malfoy alone.

_**What am I doing? I know, she told me to be nice, but she can't mean this. This is getting out of hand**_


	6. Christmas' letters

A month had past and it was almost Christmas. Hermione would be going home soon for a couple of weeks. She was really looking forward to it. The train would leave that afternoon. Hermione was packing her bags. The morning had past and in no time she found herself on the train heading home. When she got off the train in London, she said goodbye to her friends. When she had to leave Ginny, Ron and Harry, who would stay at the Burrow this year, she took her luggage and walked to the gate.

'Granger,' said a voice behind her. When she turned around she saw Malfoy.

'Merry Christmas,' said he quickly and he walked away, before Hermione could response, but his hand brushed the back of hers. She stood there, trying to gain control of her thoughts.

'Who are you and what have you done to Draco Malfoy?' she whispered to herself. She stood there, frozen. She didn´t noticed that King's Cross was empty. She was wondering what just happened. Did Malfoy say Merry Christmas to her? Why did he do that? That was weird. Suddenly she came to her senses and quickly apparated home with her stuff.

She had to tell someone what happened. A few days had past and Hermione couldn't stop thinking about it. Would she tell it to Ginny? Yeah, Ginny would know what to do, thought Hermione. Immediately she took parchment, ink and quill and wrote a letter to Ginny:

_Dear Ginny,_

_You will never believe what happened. After you guys left at Kings Cross, Malfoy walked up to me and wished me a Merry Christmas. I mean, Malfoy! I have no idea why he did that, but when I come over for Christmas, I really need to bring you up to date, about some really weird changes about Malfoy. And please reply soon, I'm freaking out here. _

_Love Hermione._

And Lyra, she would write Lyra too. Quickly Hermione wrote Lyra about what happened:

_Dear Lyra,_

_How is your holiday going? How are you doing? I have to tell you something, at King's Cross, Malfoy wished me a Merry Christmas. I don't have the slightest idea why he acted that way. I'm really hoping that you have some advice for me. Because what happened really confuses me. _

_Yours, Hermione_

She gave the letters to her owl, Athena, and hoped that Lyra and Ginny would response fast. Hermione watched the owl fly away and then went downstairs for diner.

'Are you alright, dear?' asked her Mom, 'you are so quiet. Usually when you come back from Hogwarts, you are full of stories. How are you and Ron?'

'Mom, Ron and I broke up, remember. I have sent you a letter,' said Hermione, 'I don't want to talk about it.'

'Oh, I remember it. Is there someone else then?'

'No mom, there isn't. There just, didn't happen that much,' it felt wrong to lie to her mother.

'Well, if you say so,' said Monica Granger and she gave her daughter some space. They continued eating in silence. After diner Hermione got back to her room. Surprisingly a big brown eagle owl was waiting outside her window. She opened it, the owl flew in and dropped a letter her bed before leaving again. She closed the window and walked to her bed. She picked up the letter and sat down on the bed. The handwriting was perfect. It was a kind of handwriting you didn't see every day, and if you had one, you could be really happy with yourself. She opened the letter and started to read:

_Dear Hermione, _

_First I would like to say: stop worrying! As for nobody has died, it is not a total disaster. I can imagine it is quite confusing, but right now you are completely safe. You won't have to see him for two whole weeks, so reason yourself. _

_He did not confess his undying love for you; he just bade you a merry Christmas. Which is not unlikely, for it is almost Christmas and you have to admit, you are attractive. And he is a man with pubertal hormones. And in case you're wondering; yes he is attracted to you, but only in a sexual way which only men can experience._

_And for the fact that his hand brushed yours, that is must be a coincidence. _

_Don't go looking for reason, men are men and they will always be men. Albeit, some are quite handsome. _

_I wish you a very nice holiday, and a merry Christmas, _

_Your friend, Lyra._

_P.S. I am doing perfectly fine, thank you for asking. _

Hermione read the letter twice. As usual Lyra had her point proven. Why was she constantly thinking about that stupid ferret? She was just being unreasonable. From now on, she wouldn't think about Malfoy anymore. At that moment Pig, Ron's owl, flew through the window, against her stomach and fell unconsciously on the floor. Hermione dropped Lyra's letter and picked up Pig and put him on her bed while untying the note and the letter. She knew Pig could handle it. After that she took her wand and fixed her window. She sat on her bed next to Pig and read the note.

_Hi Hermione, _

_Did Malfoy really say that? Did he really wish you a merry Christmas? Unbelievable you forget about me so quickly, I can't believe I have ever liked you. Well, I'm with Lavender now. I wish you a very happy life with Malfoy. _

_Ron_

What is Ron thinking? How could I ever have liked that, that, that asshole? Well, at least she still had Ginny's letter. She quickly opened it:

_OMG Herms!_

_Did Malfoy say Merry Christmas? That is so sweet! Of course, when you are coming over in two day, we must talk about it. And I really look forward to our Christmas-shopping session. Have you already heard about Ron and Lavender being together? I can't believe that jerk is my brother. Since you are my best friend, I'll do everything to help you get back at him. Revenge is sweet (Insert devilish grin here). Oh and by the way, I haven't told Harry what Malfoy said. I thought it would be better. Oh, and I got a super awesome colour nail polish from mom. She said I deserved it, for not getting into trouble, unlike Ron. Oh, I can't wait until you are here. Oh, I have to go and give Harry my attention. _

_Bye, your super, mega, foxy, awesome Ginny_

_P.S. Did you say Merry Christmas back? And did anything else happen except for him saying Merry Christmas, like did he touch your hand? _

Well at least that cheered her up. She was now actually really looking forward to go to the Weasleys. Ginny had always crazy ideas during holidays. But at least they had fun. Hermione looked at Pig, he was awake now. Hermione picked him up and brought him to the window. She opened it and let Pig fly back to the Burrow. She watched him until he was out of sight and then closed the window. Yeah, she really looked forward to going to Ginny.

'Hermione!' Hermione fell on the ground with Ginny on top of her. She could have expected it from Ginny, of course it was Ginny. But still she was a little shocked.

'Ginny get off me! I want to live,' said Hermione laughing. Ginny stood up and helped Hermione up. When they were both standing, Ginny started talking.

'How do you like my nails, it is the new nail polish, I wrote you about. And Ron is a little grumpy now you're here. I don't get him, why is he so strange. Let's go to my room. Then you can tell me. And there we won't be disturbed by Won-Won and Lav-Lav. Oh yeah, she is here, Ron insisted. Charlie is here too, and Bill and Fleur as well,' said Ginny. Oh no, thought Hermione, Lavender is here?

'Hermione, what are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be here, after you and Won-Won broke up,' said Lavender, who just came in hand in hand with Ron.

'Well, I was invited by Ginny, so…' Hermione had no idea what to say. Ron threw her an angry glare.

'Come Hermione, let's go and unpack your stuff,' said Ginny quickly and pulled Hermione up the stairs.

'So what exactly did Malfoy do?' asked Ginny curious. They sat on Ginny bed, after the awkward diner. Hermione had to sit opposite of Ron, who sat next to Lavender, feeding each other. Hermione barely ate.

'Well I was walking towards the gate and suddenly I heard my name, so I turned around and there stood Malfoy. At first I thought he was probable going to act like a jerk again, but he quickly said merry Christmas, and then he was gone. I have no idea why he did that. I stood there, nailed to the ground. I mean. I just don't get that guy!' finished Hermione her story from the moment Malfoy had started to act strange. Ginny had listened all the time and nodded now.

'Seems a problem to me,' she said.

'Of course it is. He's driving me mad, Ginny. I just can't put it from my mind!'

'Calm down, Hermione. I get it. So are you going to tell him?'

'What?'

'Are you going to tell him you like him?'

'I do not like him! How can you think that?' said Hermione, astonished that Ginny thought that she fancied Malfoy.

'Well obviously, you can't get him out of your mind, and want to talk about him all the time. I call that being in love. Don't worry, if you want him, I'll support you,' answered Ginny.

Hermione could only stare at Ginny, how could she think that?

_**My heart, how cliché this might sound, skips a beat when I think of her. I get lost in her eyes. I have to tell myself that I can't think of her all the time, because she clearly doesn't love me. And that really hurts**__**... **_

**Hi! **

**Like? Dislike? **

**Please Review!**

**And what would you do when you were Hermione?**

**Please Review!**


	7. Confession

**I****'m sorry that I haven't uploaded lately, but the teachers have a conspiracy; we give our students as much homework as possible. So I didn't really have time do work on the story. It is a short chapter, but I promise that I'll upload a longer chapter very soon. Have fun reading! And I'm sorry if it has grammar and spelling mistakes. English is not my first language. **

Hermione couldn't get Ginny's words out of her head. Did she like him? Did Hermione Granger, the Gryffindor princess, really like Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin prince? That would be like Romeo and Juliet, a forbidden love. WAIT! She did not like, and most of all did not love him. That is ridiculous. Why was she so touched by Ginny's words? She had hated Malfoy for seven years and that would not change. Would it? No, stop thinking that, she thought to herself. Hermione looked at Ginny, who was sleeping. Hermione lay on her back and stared to the ceiling of Ginny's room. Why couldn't she stop thinking about Malfoy? Years she heard that she didn't need to care what Malfoy was thinking, and now she just wanted to know why he did that. Damn, why was Ginny always right about boys?

Hermione silently reached for her bag and took out the letter of Lyra and her wand. She read it again, creating the light with her wand. Lyra was right, she needed to reason. Okay, just get things straight, thought Hermione to herself. Okay first, Draco Malfoy said Merry Christmas to her, which was not unlikely because it was almost Christmas. Second, he touched the back of her hand, which was just a coincidence. But that didn't take the fact that she felt really weird. A nice feeling ran through her spine, thinking of it... Okay, next point. Third, Lyra said that Draco Malfoy finds her attractive, simply because he is a man and she is a woman. And what if is it more? And how does Lyra even know that Draco, she meant Malfoy, finds her attractive.

Okay, what do I think about Draco Malfoy, thought Hermione. I find him, weird, incapable of feeling, arrogant, a ferret, I hate him and I don't want to be near him, I loathe every second that I have to spend in one room, I only want to insult him and possible hit him and he can go with that Parkinson girl, 'cause I don't care. Why should I care? I'm not caring about him. In less than a year he is out of my life, and I don't have to look at his ugly face. Within a couple of months I'm completely ride of him and that is all I want.

_Is it?_ Said a voice in the back of her head, _do you really hate him? What happened to the pity you felt after he told you his life story? Can you hate him? Can you hate him unconditionally?_

**Well, that doesn't mean that I love him? Yes I felt pity for him, but now I don't. He insulted me for years, and I felt nothing more than hatred towards him. It is not a fairytale!**

_Why not? Why won't you let it be a fairytale? Why don't you do something exciting? You are only reading and doing homework. If you continue doing that he will never fall for you._

**I don't want him to fall for ****me; I want that we keep on hating each other. I don't feel anything for him, and if I feel something, it is far from what I felt for Ron. **

_But what you felt for Ron wasn't love, you only liked him like your brother. Did you really wanted to marry him and life happily ever after? Now that is what I call a fairytale._

**You have read too many fairytales. I did feel love for Ron. And I'm quite certain that I don't feel anything for Malfoy. **

_Are you quite certain? Cause I don't but it. I know what you feel, and you didn't feel love for Ron. _

**How can you know what I feel and what I don't ****feel? That is ridiculous. I don't believe you. **

_If you still don't believe you like Draco, go and bang your head into the wall__. __ALLOW YOURSELF TO LOVE! It won't kill you._

**Loving Draco Malfoy would. And besides, why should I listen to you?**

_Because you are the rational brain speaking, I'm speaking right from the bottom of your heart. You have always loved Draco Malfoy, and you know that will never change. Although you've never allowed yourself to acknowledge, you know you have. Stop hiding it! __Ginny probably noticed it long before you did, and Ginny's always right about boys, she never failed. Ask for her help in making him fall for you and then you can still decide. At least he won't bother you anymore then. _

Her brain stayed silent. She had no reason, nor written reply, her heart had outsmarted her brain. Damn, she felt stupid. How could she after all those years, fall in love with the one person she didn't want to be.

**OMG, I'm in love with Draco Malfoy!**

_**I'm trapped the in the darkness of the night, looking where the day light is leaking through. Knowing that I will always be trapped, never able to reach you. If you'd only knew how I felt, it would make the sun shine reach me. But you will never know, and I'll never be free. **_

**So? What do you think? **

**What would you do when you were Hermione? **

**Please Review!**


	8. New tasks

**A/N: I'm sorry, I should have update sooner. I promise I'll update the next chapter sooner.**

**I want to thank my beta's for helping me with correcting.**

**Have fun reading!**

'Okay, well let's go and eat something, what do you think, Hermione?' asked Ginny, they were on their Christmas-shopping session. Hermione hadn't told Ginny about her feelings. That was because they were too busy to have a private talked. They had to help Mrs Weasley with the decoration, with the cooking and so much more. Hermione though that during the shopping it would be a good time, but unfortunately Lavender had to come along. Hermione felt trapped. She could tell no one how she felt. She hadn't written a letter to Lyra on purpose, knowing that Lyra would probably think that she was overreacting.

'My idea,' answered Hermione. With the three of them, they walked to the closest eating café. Hermione and Ginny sat down by a table, Lavender didn't. She seemed to doubt.

'Do you mind it if I already went home? I have what I need and I just miss Won-Won,' said Lavender.

'Oh no, don't be silly. If you want to go to the Burrow, then just go. We don't want to keep you here if you don't want to. It is okay, just go to the Burrow, Hermione and I are just going to look for some books,' said Ginny quickly. Lavender smiled, said a goodbye and then apparated away.

'Thank Merlin, we got rid of her. Did you hear that, she thinks the Burrow is her home! I can't stand her, why did Ron pick her?' complained Ginny.

'Ginny, I have to tell you something,' started Hermione after the waiter took their order and delivered their drinks.

'Okay, shoot,' said Ginny, drinking her Coke.

'I can't believe I'm actually saying this, and it really has to remain a secret,' Hermione didn't know how to tell her best friend that she fell in love with her arch enemy. There was no guide line for that.

'Of course, you know you can tell me everything you want,' said Ginny.

'First, you were right,' said Hermione. She had no idea how Ginny would react.

'Yeah, I'm usually right, about what this time?' Ginny looked really curious right now.

'I think that I might really like Draco Malfoy,'

'Finally!' Ginny said it so ridiculously loud that Hermione looked around to catch a few stares, but they all quickly turned back to their dinner.

'Not that loud! How long have you known that?' asked Hermione.

'Lyra told me. She said that you were confused about what he did. I'm shocked that you didn't tell me. But I'll forgive you. After lunch, I'll give you a make-over!'

The whistle blew and Hermione sat down in the coupé next to Ginny, who was seated next to Harry. Opposite sat Ron next to Lavender. Hermione's suitcase was fuller than when she left Hogwarts. Hours of shopping, Ginny dragging her practically into every shop they saw, spending half her savings on dresses, tops, skirts, blouses, jeans, belts, purses, nail polish, a book about beauty charms, heels, flats, boots and a lot of new jewelries. Hermione had decided to try them all tomorrow.

'You know, you two took a lot of time to buy books when we were shopping,' said Lavender all of a sudden. Hermione looked at Ginny for help.

'We couldn't find any nice books,' said Ginny quickly, Hermione nodded in agreement.

'Okay, Hermione, who is it?' said Lavender?

'What are you talking about?' asked Hermione, she felt her cheeks turn red.

'I told you Won-Won, there is someone special. So Hermione, who is it?'

'There is no one. I don't know what you are talking about,' Hermione felt bad about lying, but she knew it was necessary. Suddenly someone knocked on the door of their coupé. Lyra opened the door. The first thing that Hermione noticed is that Lyra looked really tired. She looked exhausted.

'Do you care if I joined you? All the other coupés are occupied, with either people I don't know, or people I don't want to sit with,' asked Lyra politely. Her voice shook a bit.

'Are you alright?' asked Hermione quickly. She stood up.

'Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking. I'm just tired; I didn't sleep well last night. I had a bit of a fever. But that is over now,' Lyra sat down next to Lavender. Hermione sat down as well. Somehow she didn't believe Lyra. Let it go Hermione, she thought. Why would Lyra lie to her?

The door swung open and in it's opening stood Draco Malfoy.

'Granger, I need you to come with me,' Said he and for a seconds his eyes seemed to lay on Lyra. He nodded once and leaned against the door.

'Why?' asked Hermione, who had no intention to leave her friends. What was he thinking? And why would he want her alone?

'You'll hear later on, but for now you need to come with me,' He was still standing there and it seemed like he wasn't planning to go. Hermione sighted and stood up.

'I'll see you guys later,' she said, pretending that she didn't see the you-have-to-tell-me-everything-when-you-are-back look on Ginny's face and followed Draco, she meant Malfoy, through the train. They were walking to the front of the train. Suddenly the train shocked and Hermione lost her balance, causing her to fall against the boy in front of her.

'Watch it the next time,' Draco Malfoy sneered. He walked on, only to turn around after a couple of steps and asked: 'Are you alright?'

'What?' Hermione had no idea what just happened.

'I just asked if you were alright,' said he and took a step towards her. Hermione felt a strange feeling in her stomach.

'Why do you ask?' asked Hermione, trying to keep her voice even.

'You're right, I won't do it the next time,' he turned around and walked on. Stupid Hermione! She thought to herself. Maybe it was better that way. She and Draco were never to be friends, let alone them having a relationship. Why can't she just call him Malfoy? She sighed and followed him. He opened the door to the Prefect coupé. He waited on the doorstep. Hermione stopped, why was he standing there? What is he doing?

'Ladies first,' said Drac-, no Malfoy! Hermione nodded and walked past him. She couldn't remember her being so close to him before. She could smell his scent. It made her head dazzle. No! She couldn't think about that. In the coupé sat headmistress McGonagall.

'Why do we have to come here?' asked Hermione her, after she and her fellow Prefect sat down.

'The original Head Boy and Girl have decided that they don't want to be Heads anymore. So I have to choose two others, and I have chosen you and Mr. Malfoy,' said McGonagall. She continued by telling them all their duties. Hermione wasn't really paying attention. She knew the rules by heart. She felt so happy, that she was chosen. She had been quite surprised when she wasn't chosen at the start of the year. And actually, she wouldn't mind to patrol with Draco. Suddenly she felt something brushing her feet.

Was she imagining it, or did Draco just touch her feet? She felt her cheeks redden, oh no, not now. Why did she have to think about him? She needed to clear her head. Calm down, Hermione, calm down. It's just Malfoy, he doesn't care about you. He didn't do it on purpose. Did he? Oh! Stop! You are not allowed to think about him, from this point onwards for the rest of the evening. That is within your capabilities, right? Hermione doubted it.

Hermione walked out of the Great Hall, next to Lyra. Harry and Ginny weren't impressed by the fact that she was the Head Girl now. She was the cleverest witch of her age for a reason. Harry felt sorry for her, for having to patrol with Malfoy. Hearing that name made Hermione think about him, causing her to blush. She looked at Ginny, who only winked. Hermione had chosen not to face the Slytherin table. So she sat next to Lyra. Hermione noticed that Lyra said almost nothing. Why was that? She asked Lyra several questions and Lyra answered them absently.

Dinner was over too quick and now they were headed for the Gryffindor common room.

'Miss Black, can I speak to you, in private?' said McGonagall behind them.

'Sure professor, you'll go ahead guys, I won't be long gone,' said Lyra politely as always. Hermione nodded and walked on. She was curious what McGonagall had to say to Lyra.

'What would McGonagall have to say to Lyra?' asked Harry out loud.

'I have no idea,' said Ginny, who walked up to Harry and took his hand. Harry smiled; they were meant to be together. Everybody could see that. They reached the common room and walked inside. Luckily for Hermione Ron and Lavender weren't there yet. She ran to her dorm to get her book and ran down again to get the best place in front of the fireplace.

'Hermione, don't Heads have their own common rooms?' asked Ginny suddenly.

'No, not that I have heard of,' responded Hermione thinkin: how would Ginny know that? She got that strange feeling inside her stomach again; imagine having her own dorm together with Draco. Hermione! Don't think about it. She couldn't think about it tomorrow because she and Ginny had made plans. Hermione would flirt with Draco. But she just couldn't stop thinking about him, not since she found out that she was in love with him.

'They had one, but they used their dorm irresponsible and so they were kicked out. It's on the sixth floor behind the portrait of the wizards playing cards. Ever since no one had used it. I doubt that someone knows it. The Heads dorm is used by the Heads to have a place where they can be alone. I haven't figured out what the password is, but I'm close now,' said Lyra who came walking in. In this light she looked really tired.

'What wanted McGonagall from you?' asked Harry, while Lyra sat down in a chair next to the fire.

'I'm transferred to Slytherin. From tomorrow onwards, I'll be a Slytherin,' said Lyra, 'I have to move to my new dorm this afternoon.' What? Hermione was shocked.

'They can't do that! They can't place you in another dorm,' Hermione almost screamed.

'Apparently they can do that. They have found an old rule, which states that the preference of the family is above the preference of the sorting hat, and so they have the capacity to transfer a student to another dorm. I don't really mind, for I spent a lot of my time outside the dorm. I just don't know how you feel about it,' said Lyra calmly. This can't be happening, why does Lyra have to go to Slytherin?

'Does this mean that you have to eat at the Slytherin table?' asked Ginny. Lyra only nodded.

'Why does your family wants you to be a Slytherin?' asked Harry.

'I'm from one of the purest wizard family. It is difficult to find one purer. They believe that I can develop better in an environment with only pure wizards and witches,' said Lyra. This can't be happening, thought Hermione.

'Well, I'd better get my things, it is almost curfew,' Lyra stood up and walked to her dorm. A couple of minutes later she was back with her stuff.

'Well, I must be going. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast, from a different point of view, so to speak,' said Lyra after hugging Hermione and Ginny and shaking hands with Harry.

'I hope Malfoy won't hurt you,' said Harry. Lyra smiled.

'I know how to defend me, he'll know the consequence of attacking me, if he ever does,' Lyra took her stuff and walked outside the dorm, to the dungeons.

Hermione walked into the Hall, noticing that Lyra was sitting at the Slytherin table, dressed in green. This is really weird, thought Hermione. It had been two weeks now and she wasn't used to it yet. She saw Lyra, when the lessons were over, but not as much as before, because she was almost always surrounded by Slytherins. Hermione sat down next to Ginny and closely watched who came in. So she didn't miss Draco, who walked in only 5 minutes later, and he walked straight to his table and sat down next to Lyra. He nodded to her and started his dinner. He asked something to Lyra and she answered him, on which he responded. They were actually having a conversation. Jealousy overwhelmed her.

'Ginny, tomorrow we're going to start our plan,' said Hermione. Ginny smiled. They cancelled their plan of giving Hermione a make-over because of Lyra switching dorms. She and Lyra were still kind of friends, but she shouldn't steal Draco away from her. Hold on, why am I being this mean to Lyra? Hermione thought, Lyra hasn't done anything wrong, not yet. And why be this possessive about Draco? When dinner was over and everyone was back in their dorms, professor McGonagall's voice came over the loudspeaker.

'Dear students, now that you're all here, I have an announcement to make. Tomorrow we will be welcoming students from America, who will stay here for a couple of weeks. I want you to make them feel at home. Further information will be given tomorrow morning. The Head boy and Head girl will come to the great Hall and start with patrolling the corridors,' said the Headmistress. Hermione said goodbye to her friends and walked to the Hall. When she reached the Hall, she saw that Draco wasn't there yet, so she sat down on one of the benches.

'What is the best route to patrol?' she heard Draco say. She turned around to face him and found him less than a foot away from her. She had to answer, to not make her look stupid.

'I think we'll start with the dungeon and walked up. What do you think?' said Hermione. She had the feelings that her cheeks redden as he took a step closer.

'I'm fine with that. Shall we?' answered Draco and started to walk out of the Hall. Hermione stood up quickly and followed him. They walked to the dungeons and started patrolling. All the time she was aware of the fact that Draco walked next to her. This was the first time that they had to patrol together. Nothing is happening, thought Hermione, and now I have to walk next to him. She wanted to talk to Draco, but she didn't know what to talk about.

'It is quiet,' said Draco suddenly.

'Yeah, it is,' answered Hermione and they were quiet again. Suddenly an image of Lyra and Draco talking to each other popped in her mind. No she thought of it, they seemed to be pretty close together. In just two weeks. Maybe they were together, it is not like you need to know, thought Hermione. If they are together, that is their business, not mine.

'A penny for your thoughts,' said Draco and Hermione looked at him.

'What?' Hermione had no idea where he was talking about.

'You looked like you were thinking about something. And I juts wandered what you were thinking,' he answered and it all made sense to her.

'So, you and Lyra?' said Hermione, knowing that this wasn't a good subject, but she felt like she needed to know.

'It's not what you think,' said Draco quickly, jumping into defence.

'I know, it is no business of mine, but you look great together,' reaching another corridor,' it is almost twelve o'clock, why don't we go back to our dorms? Good night,' said Hermione and turned left, back to the Gryffindor common room.

'Wait, it is not like that. Please, just hear me out,' said Draco as he followed her. She just kept on walking, ignoring him.

'Wait, listen to me-,' said Draco and he grabbed her sleeve, forcing her to turn around, but Hermione cut him off.

'Why should I listen to you? It is not like you ever listened to me! Why? Because I'm not a pureblood? Because I'm too less for you?' Hermione felt that she started to get angry.

'No, I want to-'

'What do you want Malfoy?' Hermione had no idea why she was doing this. She stood there, looking him in the eye, furious because he and Lyra were together. It wasn't fair, she ought to have him. But that was impossible and even besides all the prejudice between the Gryffindor house and the Slytherin house, he would not love her, never. She was chasing a dream that could never be real. Maybe she had to stop; she had to stop trying to make him fall for her. She hadn't even started yet. This was so unfair.

'I...' Malfoy had no idea what to say. So that was it, huh? From Draco to Malfoy in less than a minute. She hated him, because he was stupid, arrogant, a ferret, dumb, ugly, mean, full of hatred, annoying, cold, Slytherin, Malfoy, but most of all, she hated the fact that they could never be together. Why was she so stupid to believe Ginny? She could never make him fall in love with her. He wasn't interested in her. Okay he was being human to her, but that was only because of Lyra. Lyra loved him all along. It all fell into place. She felt her eyes becoming wet. Now that, she wasn't going to cry in front of him. She turned around and walked away, hoping that he would follow her. That he would stop her and tell her that she was being stupid, that he loved her. She had almost reached the end of the corridor and he still hadn't done anything.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, that made her turner around and Draco pushed her to the wall. Hermione's breath started to quicken. His face came closer to hers. Hermione was trapped between the wall and Draco's body. Through the black shirt he was wearing, she could feel his muscular chest. Was she imaging it or was he also breathing faster? Hermione couldn't think clear anymore. She could barely resist the urge to kiss him. She looked straight into his grey, silver eyes. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't think of anything. Her cheeks had never been as red as they were now. His face was really close now. She could smell his scent. His lips were getting closer; she could almost feel them touching hers. She closed her eyes.

'Hey Granger, what are you doing?' a sneer from Malfoy broke her dream. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

'Nothing,' she answered and looked away. Malfoy decided not to say anything anymore and they walked on.

She wished that her dream had really happened, or at least that something had happened. Because of his sneer, Hermione realized that she and Draco could never be together and that he would never love her. When Hermione was back in her dorm, she lay down on her bed and cried silently, until she was too tired to stay awake. She slowly fell asleep.

_**I should have told her everything, every feeling I've experienced in the last couple of weeks. But I couldn't, why can't I? Why can't I tell the person I love the most, that I love her? Noticing her every move, I concluded that she doesn't love me. The only thing I can do now is accept my defeat and hope she is willing to be my friend. **_

**A/N: And did you like it? ****Poor Hermione.**

**Please review! **


	9. unexpected love

**A****/N I don't own anything. Just so that everybody knows. Have fun reading!**

Everybody just finished dinner and looked anxiously to the doors, waiting for the American students to come in. Suddenly every window in the Great Hall smashed into pieces. Pieces of glass flew all over the place. Out of no-where, arrows of fire entered the Great Hall. Some of the students screamed. There were two large bolts of fire and several smaller ones. Hermione had no idea what was happening. What was this? The fire bolts flew randomly across through the Hall. Suddenly the two big bolts pointed down to the ground. When they reached the ground, they became some kind of campfire. At the bottom of the two separate campfires, the fire extinguished, revealing two pair of shoes. The fames extinguished further up and two pair of shins covered with pans appeared. The flames extinguished more, revealing two separate pair of thighs, two waists, one covered by a green shirt, the other by a red shirt and two chests. At that point the flames stopped and started to extinguish from the left man's top, revealing brown, curly hair, followed by a nice looking face with blue eyes. In less than twenty seconds a man appeared from the flames. After that the other campfire extinguished completely in one second, revealing light blond, short hair, two green eyes, a small, but handsome face.

The man with the brown hair looked around the Great Hall and clapped his hands once. Now all of the other fire bolts pointed to the ground, the big fire bolts landed next to the two men and all the others where spread all over the Hall. They all transformed into students. Hermione was amazed, she had never read about something like this. She counted the students. There were 13 students in total and, what looked like, two teachers. They were all boys and they looked quite uncomfortable. There was only one student still burning.

'David, help Peter,' said the man with the blond hair. One of the students, most likely David, walked to the burning student, who must be Peter. David pulled out his wand and whispered a spell. Peter stopped burning and nodded once to David, who walked back to his spot. The man with brown hair looked at professor McGonagall who stood up.

'Welcome to Hogwarts,' said the Headmistress. Hermione looked at Lyra to see how she was reacting. She looked indifferent.

'We are honoured to be here. My name is Cedric Jenkins. I'm one of the teachers at MGS. The other teacher that accompanied me is Thomas Spencer. I'm sure that all of our students will behave according to your rules,' said he as a reminder to his students. He had a pleasant voice.

'Lyra. What a pleasant surprise to see you here,' said one of the students. He looked like he was sixteen, with black hair and brown eyes against a pale skin.

'Gregory, I should have known that you were coming too,' responded Lyra annoyed.

'Ah, miss Black, long time no see. I hope that you have a nice stay here?' asked the man with blond hair.

'Certainly, mister Spencer. I trust that someone else was able to restrain Gregory? Knowing his extraordinary behaviour.'

'That reminds me,' said the boy Lyra called Gregory,' you owe me a duel.'

'You haven't learned of you last defeat? But if professor McGonagall agrees, I'll duel you here.' Lyra looked at professor McGonagall, seeking permission. Draco grabbed her shoulder, turning her roughly to face him and whispered something to her. Hermione couldn't hear what they were saying, but it looked like they were arguing.

'You know the school rules, Miss Black. No duelling in the school, or the school grounds. Unless, there is a teacher present,' answered professor McGonagall, and her eyes started to sparkle. She waved her wand and transfigured all the tables into one big duelling platform. Gregory climbed on one side and Lyra on the other.

'David is my secondant,' said Gregory. David nodded.

'Draco, will you be my secondant?' asked Lyra and Draco nodded. Lyra and Gregory walked towards each other and bowed. Then the turned around and walked five steps back, before taking a fighting position. Hermione saw the huge grin on Lyra's face and knew that she would win. Mister Jenkins stood next to the platform and he counted down from 3. Despite the fact that Lyra looked so self-assured Hermione felt nervous.

'Diffindo!' yelled Gregory, but Lyra only flicked her wand once and with a loud bang, Gregory was knocked of the platform. He crawled up and jumped back on the platform, looking angry. But before he could do anything, Lyra had already slashed her wand through the air and a purple beam of light hit Gregory on his leg. Gregory yelled in pain and sank down on his knees. Lyra put her wand away and looked at Gregory who clutched his leg, swearing horribly. David jumped on the platform and pulled his wand. Lyra raised one eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

'You really think you can beat me, David? I believe the MGS's windows remember you quite well. Perhaps, we should introduce you to the Hogwarts windows too? Oh, don't you look at me like that. You know you are going to lose. You've always been second best. You thought half a year away from you guys would make me less? Or did you think you've gotten better? You, David, are one of those guys that always think they're better than females, and then get's their butt kicked. But okay, attack me if you want to,' said Lyra. David's face was now matching the colour of the big Gryffindor banner at the ceiling.

'Confringo!' An orange beam of light came from David's wand and enclosed on Lyra with an incredible speed. Lyra moved her hand with spread fingers in front of her face. Hermione saw that Lyra didn't use her wand and was wondering if it would really work. But only a tenth of a second after she'd done that, the orange beam reached the place where just her fingers had been. It was reflected by some sort of shield and turned into a gust of wind smashing David into the wall behind them.

'Protego Midzanemos, without a wand, I've never seen anyone do that before. I've only read about it, it's even hard to do with a wand... That's almost impossible!' mumbled Hermione to herself.

'You guys had enough?' asked Lyra to the two boys, who both probably had some serious injuries. Gregory was still screaming, not listening to her words, holding his leg with both hands. David, who lay on the floor, his arm and leg in strange angles, nodded. Lyra waved her wand and Gregory stopped screaming, while David stood up.

'Again, thank you for teaching my students a good lesson, Miss Black,' said Mister Jenkins nodding to Lyra.

'Well, I guess the new MGS students will need a tour through Hogwarts. Prefects, guide the new students through the school. You're all dismissed.' Hermione stood up after McGonagall spoke. And left the Great Hall, following Lyra in the direction of the Slytherin dorms. She finally caught up with the girl.

'Hey Lyra, wait up!' Hermione called. Lyra stopped and turned around.

'Oh, hello Hermione. What are you doing down here?' she asked. Hermione could see the bags under her eyes. She looked really tired.

'I wanted to ask you something. I saw your spell, Protego midzanemos which is a very complex spell, but you did it without your wand and nonverbal. How do you manage that?' Hermione asked.

'Just practicing, Hermione,' said Lyra, before walking away again. Hermione stood shocked in the corridor. Just practicing, that meant she would be able to do it too, one day. Maybe she should go to the ground and start right away.

'Granger? What are you doing here?' Hermione turned on her heels and found herself less than a half a meter apart from Malfoy. For some reason her heart started beating twice as fast, and her stomach was doing flip-flops. Damn those hormones, damn Ginny, and damn Malfoy.

'I was about to leave,' she did an attempt not to stutter, but she didn't succeed really well. Malfoy took a step forward.

'Really,' she could feel his breath on her face as he spoke. She inhaled his scent, spicy and yet sweet too. She took another deep breath, Merlin she loved it. She looked up at his eyes, the puddles of silver and forced herself to give a reply.

'Yes,' she said softly.

'I guess there's no reason to keep you here,' he said.

'No,' she didn't really know what to say anymore and prepared herself to leave, no matter how much she wanted to stay.

'Hermione?' By hearing her first name she gave up on leaving. She bit her lip and turned her head a little down, still looking him in the eye.

'Yes?'

'I... eh... well... Hermione... Oh, to hell with explanations. I can't stand this anymore. You're killing me.' He pushed her against the wall and his lips crashed down upon hers. Hermione's heart was raging in her chest and she was sure Draco had to feel it too. Her cheeks were hot and her breath was uneven, but Draco didn't move away and she kissed him back, putting her hands in his hair. The platinum blond locks were so soft; his lips moving against hers were warm. But then she remembered Lyra and she felt something sting in her chest. She pushed him away.

'What about Lyra?' she asked.

'What's with Lyra?' A frown appeared on his face.

'Aren't you guys together?' her voice was a little disappointed. But a real smile played around his lips.

'It's not like that. We aren't together. Just, ehm, we're forced in each other's presence more often, so we get along.' Draco cupped her cheek: 'Nothing for you to worry about.' And his lips met hers again. A big load fell of her shoulders and Hermione kissed him back. His hands moved into her hair, messing it up, giving it the sex appeal Hermione had Ginny heard talking about. Draco pulled her up by her thighs and she wrapped her legs around his waist so they were at the same level. He moved, but they didn't move away from each other. One of his hands moved from her thigh and she heard the click of a door opening and when she opened her eyes for a moment she saw the door of the classroom close behind them. Draco put her down on a table. His hands moved to her hips and sides. He licked her lower lip with his tongue and Hermione gave him entrance. Their tongues danced in their mouths, tasting every bit. Hermione moaned and the finally moved away from each other. Their foreheads rested against each other, their eyes still closed.

'This is really wrong,' whispered Hermione. They shouldn't be together. It would upset a lot of people.

'Hm hm,' Draco stroked with his lips her jaw bone.

'I'm serious, what would your parents say,' Hermione pulled her head back to look him in the eye.

'Let me worry about my parents. I don't care if they find out or not,' he held her face in his hands.

'Listen Draco,' she saw him smile when she said his first name; 'you're not supposed to be with me, remember?' Hermione didn't know why she was saying this. For weeks she wanted him and now she that had him, she was pushing him away. Draco leaned back.

'Do you want us to be together?' He crossed his arms over his chest, looking her straight in her eyes. Suddenly she felt the urge to kiss him again. Hermione reached out for him and pulled him to her. He stopped her.

'Hermione, I need to know. Please...' she cut him off by kissing him. It took a couple of seconds, but then he gave in. He threw his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She put her hands around his neck. She was right, she loved him, and she hoped it would never change.

_**Love,**__** oh sweet love. I can't believe I've actually kissed her; it was something I should have done a long time ago.**_

Hermione walked into the Great Hall, feeling nervous. She tried not to look at Draco, as they agreed. They agreed that they wouldn't tell anyone, and that they would keep up the façade. She walked faster to the Gryffindor table than usual. She sat down next to Ginny.

'Where were you last night? You were back in the common room quite late,' asked Ginny.

'I talked to Lyra after the duel for quite some time,' answered Hermione. She'd rather not lie to her friends, but no matter how much she wanted to tell Ginny, Harry and Ron eavesdropped them, and Hermione didn't want them to know about it yet. Ginny settled for the answer with a Once-we-are-alone-you-will- have-to-tell-me-everything-look. Hermione smiled and thought about last night's kiss with Draco. She still couldn't believe that he loved her too. Though he didn't actually say it, she knew he cared for her. She had no idea where the relationship with Draco would lead to. She just knew that it would be different than she expected it to be.

'Miss Granger, could you come to my office right after breakfast?' said a voice behind her. Hermione turned around and saw professor McGonagall standing behind her.

'Sure professor,' answered Hermione. The headmistress nodded and walked away.

'Why does she want to talk to you?' asked Ginny.

'I don't know,' said Hermione. Why did McGonagall want to talk to her?

'I'm off, see you later guys,' said Hermione after she finished breakfast. Harry only nodded and Ron was too busy with Lavender to notice. Hermione stood up and walked through the double doors of the Hall. She walked to the statue of the eagle and waited for the Headmistress. Five minutes later she saw professor McGonagall walking down the corridor. The professor said the password and Hermione followed her up the stairs into the office. Hermione sat down on one of the chairs in front of the office. Professor McGonagall sat down as well.

'So why do you want to talk to me, professor?' asked Hermione curiously. The headmistress opened her mouth to talk, but she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

'Come in,' she answered. The door opened and Draco walked in. Hermione almost smiled, but she remembered the agreement she and Draco made and only nodded. He did the same.

'You wanted to see me professor?' he asked, without looked at Hermione.

'Yes, could you please sit down mister Malfoy,' answered professor McGonagall. Draco did what he was told and sat down on the chair next to Hermione. She felt the urge to kiss him, right there and then, but she managed to suppress it. It was making her very uncomfortable.

'You two are doing a good job as Head Boy and Girl, so we, the teachers, have decided that we let you two use the Head dormitory from now on. That will be your new dorm, and only you two may use it. You may however give one friend each the password. You'll move in tonight. I hope I can trust you,' she said giving them the do-not-disappoint-me look.

'Thank you for the compliment professor,' said Hermione, 'But do I have to spend my spare time with him?' Hermione hoped it would be.

'Yes, and I hope that you two will behave your selves. The dorm is behind the portrait of the wizards playing cards on the sixth floor. The password is trustworthy. You will have to come up with another password afterwards. That is it; you can go to your classes.'

'I don't believe this, I will not spent my spare time with her!' said Draco when he stood up.

'Like I just said, you'll have too, so start being nice to each other,' said the headmistress. Draco opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it again and walked away with a steady pace. Somewhere Hermione felt hurt. She knew that he pretended and that what he said wasn't real, but it still hurt. She took her bag and also walked out of the office. When she closed the door behind her, she saw that Draco was already gone. She sighted and looked at her watch. She had ten minutes before the first class started and walked slowly down the stairs. She walked back to the Hall to see if Ginny was still there. Suddenly she heard people whisper around the corner. She stopped to listen.

'I asked you to stay out of it,' Hermione couldn't hear if it was a woman or a man.

'Believe me; I didn't involve myself into your problems. I have bigger problems of my own,' answered another voice.

'Oh yeah, like what?' Hermione had a difficult time to hear which voice was which, but she was almost sure that this was the first voice.

'None of your business!' the second voice sounded angry.

'None of my business? So it is okay for you to interfere in my live, and when I try to help you, you won't let me. I want to help, please,' the first voice almost begged.

'Look, just go back and make it up to her, okay. Let me worry about my problems. If you help, it would probably mean that you'll get hurt. I don't want you to get hurt. Please, let me take care of it,' Hermione took a step closer and listened. She wanted to know who these two people were. A pair of footsteps walked away. She heard someone sighed and also walk away. Hermione quickly walked around the corner, but no one was there. She looked around, but saw nobody. That's weird, she thought. Wondering about who the two people were, she walked to her first lesson, defence against the dark art.

_**I hate saying stuff like that like that. But it is what we agreed. She has to understand that I don't want to hurt her. I love her. **_

**A/N Please Review! **

**What do you think happens next? Or should happen next? **


	10. A painful turn

**Sorry that I haven't uploaded in ages. I hope that this chapter will make it up. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor the magnificent world. I can only dream I do. **

'Trustworthy,' Hermione said to the portrait of the wizards playing cards. Her trunk was behind her. Harry didn't like the whole idea, of Hermione being alone with Draco in a dorm. Hermione tried to assure him that nothing would happen, but he wasn't satisfied. She left it for what it was. The portrait swung open and Hermione walked in.

'Draco?' she said when she came into the dorm. Her mouth fell open. The room was, in opposition to the Gryffindor Common Room, square and it had a bookcase in one corner. In the other corner was a fireplace with two white couches in front of it. It had a long table with multiple chairs, probably for working. Next to the bookcase were two doors next to each other. The curtains for the window, behind the long table, were a light colour red. There was another door next to the fireplace. The door most left from the bookcase opened and Draco appeared in the doorstep.

'Nice huh?' he said smiling, while he leaned to the door post. Hermione nodded. Looking in his eyes, she felt stupid that she thought, this morning in the Headmistress' office, that Draco didn't like her. She smiled. Draco walked up to her and took her face in his hands. She closed her eyes and felt his lips on hers. She threw her hands around his neck. Every worry she had, disappeared. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. Hermione never wanted to let go.

'Who are you going to give the password?' asked Hermione after they stopped kissing.

'Blaise, he is silently one of my best friends. But I haven't told him yet,' answered Draco.

'I don't like it that we have to hide our relation, but I know we have to,' Hermione sighted. She wanted Harry and Ron to put away the prejudice towards Draco and accept him. But that is almost impossible, thought Hermione.

'We don't have to, but I think it would be better that your friends accept me first and get to know me. Who are you going to tell-'

Hermione cut him off: 'Ginny, I think.' Draco smiled and kissed her again.

'Maybe we should do our homework,' said Hermione suddenly, pulling back. Draco looked surprised at her.

'If I don't have my homework finished my friends get suspicious. And besides, the sooner we're finished-' Hermione was cut off by Draco's lips. Hermione answered it. But soon, sooner than Hermione wanted it, Draco pulled back.

'Come, let's do our homework,' said he and walked to the long table. Hermione followed him and started to work. She didn't notice anything when she was working. Her work was quickly finished, it wasn't much. After she wrote down the last word, she looked at her watch; it was twenty past nine. Almost time for to patrol. She looked to Draco and saw him looking at her, with his hands behind his head.

'You look cute when you engage yourself in working,' said Draco. Hermione felt her cheeks redden.

'How long were you watching me?' asked Hermione.

'Long enough to know that the wall behind you could blow up, without you noticing,' said Draco laughing. Hermione hit him playfully on his arm.

'Come, let's go,' said Hermione. She stood up and walked out of the dorm. Draco followed her.

Right before they left the dorm Hermione turned around and said, without really meaning; 'I hate you and loath every second I have to spent with you.' Draco looked surprised and hurt for a second.

'And you are an annoying bookworm. Satisfied?' said Draco a bit harsh.

'I'm sorry,' said Hermione and gave him a kiss. Draco didn't answer it. Hermione took a step back to look at his face and saw that he was annoyed. He stepped passed he and walked out the dorm. Hermione followed him, while she was feeling guilty. What if Draco thought that she meant it? What if he was really mad at her? They started with the dungeons, as always, and walked their way up. They didn't speak. Hermione wanted the silence to be over, but she had no idea what to say. Maybe she should apologise to him. That would be the best option.

'Draco, I-' Hermione was cut off by Draco glance. Oh no, Draco was really mad at her.

'Move faster Granger, I have other places to be,' said he irritated and walked on. Hermione froze on the spot. She felt hurt. She never felt so hurt before, as she felt now. She felt like she was stabbed by every letter. She was never so touched by Draco's comments. Why was he acting so mean to her? If there were people around, she would have known, but there was no one. She saw him walking down the corridor, not looking back. She rethought all of her actions and couldn't come up with anything, other then what she said to him in their dorm that would have hurt him. If he was hurt in the first place.

Maybe she was wrong; maybe her feelings blinded her for what Draco really was. What if he had never changed? What if he was still his old self? Hermione felt her eyes getting wet. No Hermione, you are not going to shed a tear over him, not over that, that... She couldn't think badly about him. She just couldn't. Come on Hermione, pull yourself together. You are not going to cry in front of him. What he can, can you do better.

Hermione quickened her pace, to catch up with Draco, but because his legs were longer than hers, she had difficulties catching up. She walked next to him again and they walked around the corner and saw a couple from the Hufflepuff House sitting on a bench in the corridor.

'Hey, you two,' said Draco, 'twenty points from Hufflepuff. Now get back to your dorm.' The Hufflepuffs left in a hurry. Draco didn't look at her and continued walking. Another dagger stabbed her. But she didn't show and walked on. After another hour of silence and painful feelings from Hermione's side they reached the Great Hall again, finishing their patrol. Hermione turned around and walked to the Head dorm, but then she heard something coming out of the Hall. She turned around and walked back. The double doors were ajar. Hermione slowly pushed them open, and looked around the corner. She couldn't believe her eyes. Lyra was surrounded by the students from MGS and Gregory stepped forward.

'You were supposed to let me win. Who do you think you are? You are a useless nobody and I swear that I'll beat you, right here, right now,' said Gregory and he looked very angry. Hermione was about to open the door and say something about it, but a hand covered her mouth and an arm around her waist pulled her back.

'Let Lyra take care of this,' whispered an all too familiar voice. Something in Hermione snapped. She didn't know why she did what she did. But she pushed her elbow into Draco's stomach, who was holding her. He bended over and let her go. He coughed and fell down on his legs.

'Why did you do that?' Whispered Draco. Hermione opened her mouth to tell him how she felt, but then she was blown forward, falling down. What, in Merlin's name, was that! Hermione placed her hand on the ground and leaned on it. Hermione stood up, and looked around. Were the double door used to be, was now a huge hole. Debris was everywhere. It was like a bomb exploded in the Great Hall. What happened? Hermione had to cough and felt something warm trickling in her neck, but she didn't pay attention to it.

Lyra! Thought Hermione. She ran to the place where she last saw Lyra, avoiding the stone fragments. When she reached it, no one was there.

'LYRA!' screamed Hermione. No, Lyra can't be hurt! What do I have to do? What can I do? Hermione panicked. She forgot everything she had learned and tried to move the stones with her bare hands. It wasn't working.

'Hermione!' yelled someone, Hermione looked up and saw Draco standing in the doorway, looking paler than ever before, 'use your wand!' Oh yeah, she was a witch.

Hermione took her wand and used the first spell that came to mind: 'Wingardium Leviosa!' She screamed. Instead of just lifting one stone, all the upper layer stones were lifted, but she didn't see a sign of Lyra.

'Wingardium Leviosa' said Draco and the next layer of stones all around the great Hall got lifted. Hermione looked around and she thought she saw a hand. Quickly she dropped all the stones on the opposite side of the once Great Hal and ran to the place she thought she saw a hand. When she reached the place, she saw that she wasn't mistaken.

'Draco, here is she!' Hermione lifted all the stones at once and saw Lyra. She was bleeding badly and her legs were positioned very weird. Hermione didn't know what to do. Someone kneeled next to her.

'Lyra,' whispered a male voice, the voice of Cedric Jenkins. Hermione looked at him and saw from the corner of her eyes that Thomas Spencer stood by Draco.

'Can you help her?' Hermione was almost crying. Lyra couldn't die.

'Where is the hospital wing?' asked Mister Jenkins. Hermione stood up and lead Mister Jenkins, who carried Lyra, to the hospital wing. It all past her, she couldn't really recall what happened. Hermione only remembered that Lyra was hurt badly and that she could die. She sat down on a bench and saw all the teachers passing by without noticing. Everything was a bit blurry. If Lyra died, then it was her fault. If she had said anything, if she stopped the fight, Lyra never got hurt.

'Hermione,' she heard someone say far away. She didn't responded until someone with red hair sat next to her.

'Ginny...' Hermione could saw anything more, her throat was thick and tears rose.

'It's okay Hermione. I just spoke with professor McGonagall. Lyra is going to make it. Apparently she and the student from MGS were duelling, in the Hall. They are all fine. Lyra apparated them out of the Hall, but didn't have enough time to apparated herself. If it weren't for you and Draco, she wouldn't have lived,' said Ginny, trying to comfort Hermione. Hermione felt like a burden fell off her shoulders when she heard that Lyra was fine.

'But, how did they know what happened?' asked Hermione, still feeling dizzy.

'Draco did, apparently he sent a sign to the teachers from MGS. He is going to be- Hermione you are bleeding!' screamed Ginny placing a hand in her neck and when she pulled it back, it was covered in blood. Hermione lifted her hand and put it in her neck, feeling the warm liquid. Hermione started to see black spots in front of her eyes and she became very dizzy.

'Ginny...'she whispered before she lost control over her body and everything became black.

'_Hermione ... you have ... awake ... with me.'_

'_Is ... going ... alright?' _

'_She ... lot of blood ... likely but not sure ... memory loss ...'_

'_Hermione ... not giving up ...'_

'_She needs rest ... move ... you ...'_

'_Know I shouldn't be here ... couldn't do without ... want you ... I'm sorry ... all my fault ... I love you ...'_

'_Nice day ... lovely wetter ...'_

'_Brave witch ...'_

'_Oh honey ... be better ... met Draco ... seems like nice guy ... miss you ... love you ... come back ...'_

The light was hard to ignore, Hermione had to open her eyes to see where it was coming from. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw a white wall. She had no idea where she was. She tried to move her head, but it was very heavy. Suddenly her head was killing her. In a reflex she lifted her arm to bring it to her head. That was a mistake, the pain only increased. The pain was getting worse and black spots were coming back. Hermione was trying to fight them, but she failed and faded.

'_Love, I know I hurt you. I know, and I wish I could take it back.'_

'_Oh Herms, we need you. We need your company.'_

'_Lovely wetter outside, nice sunny and it snowed last night. The view is extraordinary.'_

'_Darling, you have to wake up, you are scaring me and dad.'_

'_She looks better than before. I think there is a good chance she'll make it.'_

She felt heavy, so heavy. All she wanted was just sleep, and sleep and sleep and never wake up. But something somewhere buried inside her was fighting. She didn't know why, but she had to live. She had to open her eyes. But everything was black and dark. She felt so much comfortable doing nothing. No, wait Hermione Granger! You are not going to stop fighting! You can wake up. You will wake up right now! Open your eyes!

Hermione opened her eyes and started to breath quickly. Where was she? What happened? How did she come here? Was she alright? Calm down Hermione, calm down. First things first; am I alright? She quickly ran over her body in her mind and concluded that she didn't felt pain or anything unusual, so she was fine. Then where was she? She suddenly noticed that she was still lying on her back. She tried to sit up right, but she felt something lying on her hand. She used her other hand to lean on it and lifted her upper body. Somehow she managed to sit up, and she looked to what was lying on her hand. It was the back of head, with platinum blond hair, that meant something, but Hermione couldn't quite put her finger on it. To the head was a body attached, that was half-sitting in a chair, leaning on the bed. Due to the short hair, Hermione concluded that it was a man. He breathed calmly, like he was sleeping. Who was he? Do I know him? Hermione bended forward to take a closer look. But her back didn't give in. She couldn't bend forward, her back was all stiff and it hurt. But most of all, her neck hurt.

'Auw,' she whispered. She forgot about the man sleeping on her hand and leaned to the frame of her bed, Hermione realised. Okay, where am I. The only things I can see are white screens around me. She knew this place, she only didn't know where from. On the bed stand were colourful presents, books and all short of stuff Hermione couldn't identify. She tried to reach out, but she stopped because of the pain in her neck. Why can I remember who I am, but not where I am and what happened? Thought Hermione to herself.

'Where am I?' it was no more that a faint whisper, but it woke up the man sleeping on her hand. He turned his face towards her and smiled. It was a nice face, it was long, with nice jawbones and beautiful greyish almost silver eyes, except for the stubbles on his face, the messed up hair (Which seconds thoughts was kind of cute) and the deep purple bags under his eyes, like he hadn't slept much. Hermione almost felt guilty for waking him up.

'You're awake,' said he relieved, he looked really happy. He straightened his back. Somewhere Hermione had the feeling she knew him.

'Who are you?' asked Hermione, still whispering. His look turned into one of pain and grief.

'I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you. I just have the feeling I know you, but I can't remember,' it was never her intention to hurt him.

'I'm Draco Malfoy,' he said taking her hand. Hermione looked in his eyes. There was something familiar about him, but what?

'Get away from her Malfoy,' said another voice, and a tall, slender man with ginger hair stood next to her bed. She never heard him coming. The person, who identified himself as Draco Malfoy, stood up, and he looked angry.

'I'll only leave when Hermione wants me to go. Otherwise you have to be careful, I'm still the Head Boy,' he sneered. Hermione, he said Hermione, so he has to know me.

'I'm sure that Herms never would want you to stay,' answered the ginger head and he took a step closer to the bed. Hermione didn't understand what was going on. Why where they fighting?

'Oh Ron, just let him. Hermione, you're awake!' around the corner of the white screen a girl with ginger hair appeared and she threw herself around Hermione's neck. 'I'm so glad you made it. We all feared for your life.'

'What happened?' Hermione was dying to know.

'The Great Hall was blown up because of a failed spell, and you were hit by one of the flying fragments in your neck. As you tried to safe Lyra, you didn't pay attention to it, so you lost a lot of blood, it made you faint. You were unconscious for most of the night and this day. All the other Gryffindors already visited you,' said another man, with black hair that was pointing in every direction, he had green eyes and a pair of round glasses. Hermione started to see fragments of what happened. The Hall blown up behind her, panicking because someone was buried under the rubble.

'And did she survived?' she asked, though she still didn't have a clue who they were and who Lyra was.

'She was very weak, but she'll be fine. She is transported to St Mango and she already woke up. She is dying to know how you are. Without you, she wouldn't have lived,' said the man with the glasses. When he said that, Draco Malloy's, or was it Malfoy, she couldn't remember, guilt was presented in his eyes.

'Hermione, darling!' screamed a high women's voice and around the screen came the person who brought Hermione's memory back.

'Mom!' Monica Granger ran over to her daughter to hug her. Hermione started to cry. When her mother finally released her, her father was there to take over Monica's place. She hugged him and she felt so safe, as if nothing matter. After her father let her go she looked around and saw Ginny ready to hug her again.

'Ginny,' and in less than a second her best friend threw herself around her neck.

'Hermione, I'm so glad, well we are all glad that you're alive!' said Ginny, it looked like she was about to start jumping up and down. Harry didn't say a thing, but the look in his eyes and the way he hugged her, said enough. Hermione instantly knew that he was happy.

'Herms,' said Ron smiling. He walked to her and gave her an awkward hug. He pulled back, apologized and walked out of the hospital wing.

'Gin, the Quidditch match,' said Harry suddenly. Ginny's face went sad.

'Oh Merlin, right. Oh Hermione, I would have loved to stay, but I can't. Bye,' said Ginny and hugged her friend one more time. Then she stood up and followed Harry outside.

'I'll keep my fingers crossed for you guys,' called Hermione after Harry and Ginny. She didn't hear any reaction. The only people who were around were her parents. Wait, where is Draco? She thought.

'Mom, do you know where Dr- Malfoy is?' asked Hermione her mother. She almost slipped, it shouldn't happen again.

'Oh, you mean the lovely boy with the blond hair. Oh he was so kind and friendly. He looked so different than what you told us. He truly is a gentleman. No I don't know, why?' asked Monica.

'O, no reason,' answered Hermione nonchalant. Draco was kind and friendly to her parents? Even being gentlemen? Suddenly she felt exhausted. Before she could say anything her mother already helped her lay down.

'Just sleep honey,' smiled her mother. Hermione took her advice and fell asleep.

Hermione walked to her dorm, she was just released from the hospital wing. It was Sunday so she had time to do her homework. As she walked in, she saw Draco standing with his back to her close to the window, holding a letter.

'Draco?' asked Hermione, letting him know that she was there. He looked up and turned his head, to face her. He nodded once and continued reading his letter.

'Nice to see you to,' said Hermione, 'I'm sorry that I-'

'Leave it, Granger,' interrupted Draco her. Granger? Why was he calling her Granger?

'Why do you call me Granger?' asked Hermione without thinking, 'I thought that we had something. Was it a lie?'

'Believe me when I say that it is better this way. Get involved with Weasl3y,' said Draco coldly. Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing.

'I can't believe I ever fell for you and you charm. I really cared, you know. Why are you doing this?' Hermione felt the tears rise. Why was Draco doing this to her? They were together for less than a week and he already broke up with her. Maybe he didn't want her in the first place. Maybe it was all a joke. Maybe ... She didn't wanted to think about it. Without thinking she almost ran outside their dorm and walked to the Gryffindor common room. She stood still for the portrait, and realised that she didn't know the new password. Where did she need to go now? She couldn't go back.

'Hermione!' she heard someone calling behind her. She turned around and saw Lyra walking to her. Was she out of St Mango's already? That was quick.

'Are you alright? What happened to you?' She looked really worried.

'Nothing,' Hermione tried not to show that she was hurt, but her voice trembled.

'I wouldn't describe that as being fine. Why don't you and I go someplace to talk? I think that would make you feel better.' Hermione could argue her. She followed her only Slytherin friend to the kitchen of Hogwarts. They sat down at the table and Hermione suddenly reminded that Dobby wasn't here anymore. But she saw a house elf she didn't know, coming to her.

'Could we have some hot chocolate please?' asked Lyra polite. The house elf nodded and within second they both had a cup of hot chocolate.

'Why are you polite to them?' asked Hermione.

'I believe that they deserve to be treated equal, for some great wizard families can't live without them,' said Lyra and took a nip of her hot chocolate, 'so, will you tell me what happened?' Hermione still hesitate to tell her. What if she told Draco. But Hermione realised that she needed to tell someone, and hoped that Lyra wouldn't react weirdly.

'Okay, a couple of weeks ago, I realised I was in love with someone. But I knew for sure that he didn't love me. At least that was what I thought, before he kissed me. We kind of got into a relationship. Anyway on the night that the Great Hall blew up, and you had to go to St Mango's... so why are you already back? Not that I don't want you to be back, but isn't it too quick?' Asked Hermione, not knowing why she suddenly changed subject. Lyra laughed.

'I'm a fast healer. It only looked worse than it actually was. But you were telling?' asked Lyra.

'Okay so, we got into a fight and when I was in the hospital wing he stayed with me, while I was unconscious, and when I woke up he was gone really quickly. I met him today again and he was suddenly very, how do I say it, distant. We were together for less than a week, and I have the feeling it is my fault,' finished Hermione her story. Lyra said nothing, but she reached out and put her hand on Hermione's shoulder.

'I'm sure that there is a good explanation for it,' said Lyra. Hermione just hoped there was.

_**This is the worst thing I ever had to do. I don't want to, but it is for her safety. Both of their safeties. **_

**I hope you liked it. ****Please review! **

**I promise I'll upload the next chapter sooner.**


	11. The potion

**Hi! Have fun reading this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Last time I check, I'm still me, and not J.K. Rowling. What is life unfair!**

The snow turned into rain, and it was in perfect harmony with Hermione's feelings. Although spring was there and the landscape became green again, she still was sad. Even Ginny couldn't cheer her up. She paid more attention in class than before and her homework was even more perfect. She did anything to get over Draco. Which was hard, even though he had gone back to being his old self; marching through the corridors like he owned them with Pansy on his side, clutching his arm. Luckily she only had potion with Draco. As she walked to the dungeons for her double hour potions, she could the platinum blond leaning on the wall, with his Pansy talking to him. Why would he want her? Thought Hermione, why would he want such a stupid girl, who only cared about money and rank. She could never make him happy, but nor could Hermione. They were the only three students in the corridor. Draco looked up when he heard her approach. He said nothing, he even didn't nod. Pansy turned her head and also saw her, but opposed to Draco reaction, she has to say something.

'Why are you here mudblood?' asked Pansy.

'I'm here because I have a double hour potions in about five minutes and I had nothing to do, so I decided to be early, as always,' responded Hermione. She could have come up with cleverer responses, but she was too tired, due to the long sleepless night. She wandered if Draco heard her, when she cried softly in her room in the Head's dorm. After talking the night to Lyra in the kitchen she decided that she would pretend that everything never meant something. She was just stupid t believe Draco and his charms. After all he was the Slytherin Sex God.

'Don't act like you're clever,' said Pansy annoyed.

'Well, maybe compared to you, I'm just clever,' muttered Hermione, hoping that Pansy wouldn't hear it. It was fake hope and Pansy turned a bit red.

'Drakie, you can't let that filthy mudblood think that she is better than me,' said Pansy with a high pitch voice. Hermione had to laugh, and felt a bit better. Draco may have got over here, but he defiantly degraded with his relationship. Knowing that, she felt a bit better, but she still missed him. Although they had been together for less than a week, he made her feel special.

'Say something like that one more time to my girlfriend, and I will make sure that you wished that you were never born,' said Draco coldly, before Pansy occupied his attention. Hermione had to look away, she couldn't stand the sight of them kissing.

'You already do,' said Hermione softly to herself. She threw a glance at the couple concluded that they hadn't heard her.

'Please, either stop snogging each other's faces off, or go and get yourselves a room. I don't want to go to the girl's lavatory to empty my stomach contents into the toilet bowl,' said Lyra behind her. Hermione was so relieved that she was here. At least now she didn't have to watch Draco. He looked really annoyed.

'Why are you here?' asked Pansy, clearly angry because someone had the guts to make her stop kissing her beloved boyfriend.

'For you must know, I came here because Draco and I agreed to make out, but I see he decided to use someone else from his list. Ah well, maybe next time,' said Lyra dryly and turned around to face Hermione. Over Lyra's shoulder, Hermione could see Pansy hitting Draco. She couldn't hide a smile. Pansy strove off, looking really pissed.

'Why,' asked Draco angry. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and his eyes showed nothing bur fury. Hermione felt a bit scared. Lyra turned around.

'You can do much better than her,' she said looking Draco in his eyes. She didn't look scared at all and it made Draco even angrier.

'It is not up to you to decide whom ever I date,' yelled Draco and stepped closer.

'I was just trying to safe you image, Pansy is no good,' Lyra crossed her arms and she looked really calm.

'Like you know,' sneered Draco.

'Okay, maybe I don't know who is good, but I defiantly know who isn't. No one in their right mind would believe such a stupid excuse. Drake, I want to help you, but what you're doing right now is just ...,' Lyra sighted. She walked up to Draco and placed her hand on his shoulder. Draco looked at her and shook her hand off his shoulder.

'What if I loved her?' asked Draco.

'Ha, I know when you love someone. You shine just by thinking about her, talking about her. I know you Draco, you can't fool me,' said Lyra. All the time Hermione was quiet and tried not to interfere. Lyra and Draco forget that she was there. At that moment Professor McGonagall walked around the corner. Only Draco seemed to realise that she was still there and he threw he an angry look. Why did he do that for?

'Ah Miss Black, you're here, fantastic. Now everyone, let's go inside,' she opened the door and the three of them walked inside.

'Ehm professor,' said Hermione, 'where are all the other students and why are you here?'

'They are in their dorms, Miss Granger,' said the Headmistress, turned and walked to the counter, where she laid down a book.

'But why are we here then?' asked Draco, standing in the other end of the classroom.

'One of the students and a teacher got poisoned and you three have to make the antidote. We fear that someone may poison more students,' professor McGonagall looked worried, 'take all you need and hurry up. You have to make the Anti-Cor-Fractum potion. Good luck.' She walked out of the room.

'But who are poisoned?' asked Hermione, before professor McGonagall closed the door.

'Professor Slughorn and David Rice, from MGS,' the professor closed the door.

'An Anti-Cor-Fractum potion? Even Aurors aren't able to make that potion!' said Draco and he kicked the table.

'What is the poison?' asked Hermione.

'The poison is called (Cor frangitur). It is a poison that works silently. Translated it means shattered heart. It starts with abdominal pain and it gets more severe, until the body's immune system can't fight it anymore and the poison reaches your heart. But I don't understand. That poison is almost impossible to make. You need such rare ingredients. I mean a Hungarian Horntail's blood, venom of an acromantula to say some. I don't understand why would you want to make such a poison? And even if you want it, how would you get the instructions? It's not like there is such a book in Hogwarts. Plus the antidote is even more difficult,' said Lyra

'But how can it be detected? If it such a rare poison?' asked Hermione, she just had to ask something.

'Luck,' answered Lyra, 'Come we need to get started.' She told Draco to get a cauldron and he walked out the room, doing exactly what she said, to come back a minute later with a big cauldron. He placed it on the fire that Lyra made, before she walked to the ingredients closet. He filled the cauldron with water, by a flick of his wand. Lyra came back and they started.

'Ehm, what do you want me to do?' asked Hermione. Lyra and Draco looked up simultaneously. They formed the perfect team. Draco looked at Lyra.

'Take the book on the counter and see if you can find the antidote. It is written in Ancient Runes, and that is something I'm bad at,' said Lyra.

'Wait, you're bad at Ancient Runes? How so?' said Hermione before thinking.

'Is it possible that you two talk about that after the potion is finished,' said Draco and he took his sweater off, due to the heat that was there due to the fire in the classroom. Under it he was wearing the white school blouse. Lyra also took off her sweater. Hermione walked to the counter, picked up the book and opened it. She scanned the text for the antidote.

'Have you found it already?' asked Draco. There were sweat drips on his forehead. Hermione couldn't belief that it could get this warm in a matter of minutes. Apparently it did.

'No, not yet,' said Hermione annoyed. She was doing the best she could.

'Don't you want to take off your sweater?' asked Draco. He was right; the room was getting way too warm. Hermione put the book on the counter and took off her sweater. Pff, that was much better. She continued scanning the text. Suddenly she found it.

'I got it!' said she quick.

'Miss Black, you have to go to the hospital wing, helping Madam Pomfrey with the victims,' said suddenly a voice behind her, scaring her up. She turned around wondering who it was because she didn't hear someone come in. Behind her flew the Bloody Barron.

'You're fine with me leaving?' Lyra asked looking to Hermione and Draco. Hermione nodded.

'Just go, keep them alive until we're finished,' said Draco and Lyra took her sweater and back and ran outside the room following the ghost. Hermione read the instructions. It only took them three hours to make.

'What have you done already' asked Hermione, without looking at Draco.

'I heated the water,' said Draco. Oh, they were had a long way to go. Hermione sighted and read on and understood what so difficult was. They had to time everything with the utmost precision. This was going to be the most difficult potion she ever had to do. She walked over to the cauldron, only to notice it was way too hot over there.

'You need me here?' asked Hermione. Draco looked up.

'Yeah I do,' said Draco and he opened his blouse a bit. For the first time Hermione got to see part his bare chest. It was really distracting. She tried her best to resist the urge to touch it.

'Ehm, hello? Can I have your attention?' asked Draco, waving his hand in front of her eyes. Hermione blushed.

'Yeah, ehm, sorry,' said Hermione quickly.

'That's okay, what is up next?' asked Draco. Hermione turned back to the instructions.

Draco and Hermione hung with their heads above the cauldron. They had spent the last three hours together preparing the potion. It had been so awkward. Half way through, Draco decided to open his blouse completely, due to the warmth in the classroom. It took Hermione a lot of strength not to look at it. She knew it would only distract her. She had never worked like this together with Draco before. They made a good team. Hermione couldn't think about it, it would only make her want him more. Luckily Draco couldn't see her blush, every time their hands touched, when they had to hand each other the ingredients. The three hours seemed like days and Hermione hoped that the potion worked. Not just for herself, so that the self-pity, the constant thinking about the fact that she and Draco couldn't be together, but also for the people that were ill, that they would be cured. Sweat dripped over her forehead. She wiped it away with her forearm. If they did everything correct, the potion should be light violet right by now. It was more reddish brown.

'Merlin! We did something wrong,' said Hermione, No, it had to be right, because she couldn't stand another hour with Draco alone in a classroom, where he was half naked. No Hermione, don't think about that. But as she thought that, the potion started to change colour and it slowly turned lighter, until it was light violet. Could it be? Was the potion finished?

'We did it. We did it!' screamed Hermione, jumping up and down. Hermione felt do happy, they did it; they made one of the most difficult antidotes! Without thinking she hugged Draco. And he hugged her back. She could clearly feel his muscular chest. He lifted her and swung her through the air in a circle. When he put her down and let her go, she looked at him. He looked sweaty, and tired. But she had to confess, he did most of the work.

'I didn't know that you were so good at potions. I always thought that Snape just gave you good marks,' said Hermione, and after looking at Draco's staged hurt, she realised what she had said and felt her cheeks get even hotter than before.

'I'm so sorry, I didn't meant it that way,' she quickly apologized, looking down and biting her lips. Draco laughed and placed his hand on her chin to lift her head.

'You are forgiven,' said Draco smiling. Hermione felt a shiver running through her spine when he laughed at her. Without thinking she leaned in and pressed her lips on his. The moment their lips met, Hermione felt so happy. This was what it always had to be. She never wanted to let Draco go, regardless of what her friends would say. She felt Draco hesitating, almost resisting the temptation of kissing her back. Whatever made him hesitating, made him pull away.

'Sorry, I didn't think. Come let's bring the cure to the students,' said Hermione embarrassed and she turned around. Draco rejected her, again. She shouldn't have kissed him. What was she thinking? How could she, the person who always knew what she did, suddenly do something so foolish?

'Yeah, we should,' replied Draco. He closed his blouse and Hermione pick both of their sweaters of the counter. Draco lifted the cauldron with his wand, chasing her to the hospital wing. There they found Lyra running around.

'Ly,' said Draco. Lyra looked up and she looked relieved.

'What took you guys so long?' she muttered to herself, loud enough for Hermione to hear it. She blushed. With a flick of his wand the cauldron stood on a table and it was surrounded by glass beakers.

'How do we know it works?' asked Hermione suddenly.

'We don't,' said Draco and he started to fill the beakers, 'we can only hope.' He brought the beaker to David, carefully letting him drink of it. Hermione never knew Draco could be that elegance. He stayed very calm, even though David was coughing everything out.

'Come Hermione, we need every hand. Just make sure that they ingest it,' said Lyra, who just filled her beaker and walked to professor Slughorn. Oh yeah. Hermione took a beaker and filled it with the potion. She walked over to a bed. On the bed laid a little girl, no older than 12, who seemed to be from Ravenclaw, and brought the potion carefully to her mouth. Slowly she let the liquid fall into the girl's mouth. Suddenly she started to cough, very loud and hard.

'Listen, I'm Hermione Granger and you have to trust me. If you don't drink this potion you will die. It will make you better I promise. Just drink it,' begged Hermione to the girl. It seemed to help and she took little gulps. Hermione could she how much determination it took from that girl to swallow the potion. Hermione kept talking to the girl until the beaker was empty. When she was done, her eyes were full of pain and it made Hermione feel guilt about giving the potion.

'Hermione! We only have limited amount of people, we need you,' screamed Draco from the other side of the room. Hermione stood up and ran back to the cauldron. When she refilled her beaker, the door of the wing slammed open and more people were dragged in. Oh no, there were over twenty people now, infected. How bad was this? Who had done this? Hermione kept on running between the cauldron and the patients. She kept muttering to them about how it was going to make them better, but every time she had to give the potion, she felt guiltier. She kept running and running.

'Any improvement?' asked Hermione to Madam Pomfrey, but the women shook her head. Hermione was determined not to give up and kept running. She didn't feel the pain in her legs, or the fact that she was tired. The adrenaline was rushing through her veins, causing her to keep going. Fill the beaker, run to the patient, mutter apologizes when they have to drink it, then run back to the cauldron, refill the beaker, run to another patient, mutter apologizes and ran back. Hermione was doing it on Automatic pilot. After the last patient had been given the antidote, Hermione was curious if it really worked. She walked to the little girl from Ravenclaw and sat down next to her bed.

'What is your name?' Hermione asked her.

'Alison,' answered the girl.

'Alison, you are going to be better, I promise,' said Hermione and took her hand. The girl looked up and gave her a little smile. Vaguely she heard Madam Pomfrey checking everybody for improvement. She watched how the girl slowly fell asleep. When she saw the girl peacefully sleeping, Hermione noticed how tired she was. Everything hurt, and Hermione had difficulties keeping her eyes open. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around, seeing Draco behind her.

'Come Hermione, let's go back to the dorm,' he said and pulled her of the chair. One moment she stood firmly on her legs and the other moment she fell against something soft. Where was she?

'Hermione, stay awake,' said a voice somewhere in the distance. It was a voice she knew, but she didn't know who it was from. She felt her eyelids close, and tried to fight the sleep. She felt that her feet didn't touch the ground, and the next thing she knew, was that she was put onto something soft and warm. Something touched her feet, or rather something happened to her feet, but she couldn't figure out what. Out of nowhere something was placed onto of her, not something heavy, but light and warm. It felt kind of like a blanket. Suddenly her head was lifted for what looked like a second and it was placed onto something soft. She felt at ease, comfortable and sleepy. And she drifted off to sleep.

_**I hate myself for doing this, but it is the only way. I suffer everyday when I see her hurt. I don't want to see her hurt. I want to be the one to comfort her, not the one that hurts her. She will never want to see me again. I'm in so much pain, longing to touch her, to kiss her. I have to restrain myself so that I won't slip. I have to be mean. I don't want to be mean. I **__**want; well I don't know what I want. I want her to be safe, but I also want her to be able to love me and I can't have it both ways. Why is life so unfair? I've made myself an enemy with the two people I don't want to be enemies with. Everything is rushing through my head, and I can't sleep. I keep seeing her face in my mind, yelling, screaming, in pain, that I caused. My life is worth nothing, absolutely nothing. **_

**Please Review, it helps against a writer's block.**

**And it makes me upload faster.**


	12. A confusing twist

**A/N I'm sorry it took long to update. Here is the story, have fun!**

Slowly Hermione opened her eyes. She confused looked around the room she was in. How did she end up in her own bed in the her dorm? What happened? As she got out of bed she realised that she had all of her clothes still on, except for her shoes. What had happened last night? How did she come here? She walked to the common room and while she sat down on the couch, she heard two voices outside. She stood up and walked to the portrait.

'David hasn't woken up yet. I'm quite concerned,' said a female voice.

'I'm sorry-' said the second voice, this was definitely a male voice.

'I haven't forgiven you yet, so don't take that for granted. I just needed to talk to someone I can trust. But what in the world possessed you to come up with such a stupid idea? It is the most stupid mistake you have ever made in your entire life. What were you thinking?' said the female voice angry.

'I told you, it's better this way,' said the male voice annoyed, like he explained it a million times.

'Who are you trying to convince? Me, or yourself?'

'Just don't, okay? It is already hard enough for me. What do you want me to say, huh? That I love her? That I'm throwing my life away by doing this? That I do this against my own will? The only thing I want is that she is safe. If she dies I will never forgive myself. Look, I need you. I need you to back me up. I can't do this on my own, please... I'm killing myself, please help me,' the male voice begged.

'Oh yeah, you're a real hero. Does it makes you proud?' There was no response.

'I already thought so,' said the female voice and she heard a pair of footsteps walk away. The other followed a second later. Who was he? Who was she? Hermione walked out of the dorm, but there was nobody in the corridor. That's weird, she thought, they can't be far. She looked at her watch. It was eight-thirty. Eight-thirty! Oh no, she was going to be late! She ran back to her bedroom to put on her shoes and then ran to the work table to get her bag. She found it on the table, instead of next to it, completely closed. It was not the way she left it, if she left there in the first place.

'What are you doing Granger?' sneered Draco who just walked in.

'We're- I'm going to be late for class,' said Hermione quickly. She swung her bag over her shoulder and headed for the portrait.

'It's Saturday,' said Draco soft, but loud enough for her to hear it. She turned around to face him. He had bags under his eyes, which she hadn't notice before. His eyes were lifeless and sad. Although he tried to hide it, Hermione could see that he was hurt.

'What is bothering you, Dra-, Mal-, Draco?' asked Hermione and threw her bag on the floor.

'Nothing, and if there was something, It wouldn't be any of your business,' answered Draco, trying to be cruel, but he failed.

'Draco please...' Hermione took a step forward. Draco turned his head away from her and his fists were clutched.

'Don't... Don't make this any harder than it already is,' said Draco and he walked to his room, slamming his door. Hermione stared at the door for a couple of seconds, before her knees gave away and she fell on the ground. She sat down on her knees and felt the tears running down. Why did Draco want her, but he didn't want to be with her. What was so repulsive about her that he didn't want to be in one room with her? Did he disgust her appearance and her character so much that he tried to forget, that he may have liked her? Or did she meant nothing to him, other than a toy? He was too good for her anyway. The portrait behind her opened, but she didn't care who it was. The only thing she wanted to do was cry. She heard footsteps coming in and stopping right behind her. A hand was placed on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly to see who it was. It was someone she hadn't expected to see.

'What are you doing here?' she asked, not even caring to stop crying.

'I was actually planning on paying a visit to Draco, but I think that it can wait,' said Blaise Zabini and he sat down next to her, 'Do you want to talk about it?'

'Did Draco love me?' asked Hermione. She needed to know. She knew that it wouldn't make things any easier around them, but at least she knew that Draco was interested in her, and not only interested in her body. She looked at the Slytherin sitting next to her. She couldn't believe that she letting a Slytherin get that close to her.

'I don't know. Although we're close, in a friend way, he never told me. I think he was too scared, you know. It is not easy to be a Malfoy. People expect al lot of him and he has to life up to these expectation. Especially the expectations from Mr. Malfoy. Draco didn't have a easy childhood. He will never mention it, but still. When he was in the Slytherin Common room he was mostly talking to Lyra. It was like they were involved or something. They only have to look at each other to know what the other is thinking. Can I give you some advice? Forget about Draco, he will only break your heart. He dated half of the Slytherin girls, and even more from the other houses. Last thing I've heard is that he and Lyra have a relationship,' said Blaise, with pain in his eyes. Hermione felt sorry for him. Suddenly she understood why.

'Do you love Lyra?' asked Hermione. Blaise didn't need to say anything, it was clearly readable in his eyes. He loved her.

'I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?' said Hermione, trying to avoid talking about her feeling for Draco. Blaise shook his head.

'I'm dealing with this for a very long time now. I think I'm able to deal with this on my own,' replied Blaise, standing up and walking towards a couch in front of the fire, to sit down.

'How long are you in love with her?' asked Hermione, who joined him.

'The moment she walked in the Great Hall for the first time. She had something familiar, I don't know what. I don't even know how I kept it a secret. I was sure Drake was going to find out. The thing is, he is over protective, you can't even think about her, or Draco will tell you to stop. But when they are together in a room they fight a lot, mostly about useless things. They also leave quite often and when they return, Draco has a strange look in his eyes and Lyra looks more tired than before. It is not difficult to guess what they are doing,' said Blaise absently. Hermione's heart broke even further. She wanted to cry, to scream, but instead she only placed her head on Blaise's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her and laid his head on hers.

'How do you do it?' asked Hermione.

'Do what?'

'How are you dealing with your feelings for Lyra?' Hermione turned her head slightly up to look at him.

'At first it wasn't that hard. I only had to hide it in the corridors. When she changed into a Slytherin, it became a lot harder. Every time I look at her, I think; She is out of your league. There is no way she is ever going to like me. It helps a bit. Not much,' Blaise's voice trembled a bit.

'Why didn't you tell her how you felt?' asked Hermione curious.

'Because, Draco was faster, as with every girl I like. He has "it", the thing that girls want. He is good-looking, a good talker and, from what I've heard good, good at the physical part. I could never compete with him. He is better in everything,' Blaise replied.

'No, you're better at being there for me right here, right now,' said Hermione smiling and Blaise laughed.

'You know, you're not as bad I used to think you were. You're okay, I guess. For a Gryffindor,' added Blaise laughing.

'And you're not evil as I think all Slytherins are. You're okay too,' replied Hermione.

A week later all of the people who were poisoned, were dismissed from the hospital wing and the students from the MGS were already home. Everything went back to normal. Hermione walked to the library, to see Ginny. She hadn't seen Ginny as often as she wished, but she had barely time to see anyone. The exams were coming, so she worked and worked, harder than usual, but it was mostly so she could forget Draco. But she also forgot Ginny and it had made her feel guilty. Luckily it was Saturday, so she had a lot of time to talk to Ginny.

'Hermione!' said Ginny happy and stood up.

'Ginny, I'm so sorry. I should have talked to you more often,' said Hermione and hugged Ginny.

'So how are you?' asked Ginny and she looked at Hermione.

'I don't know. As long as I don't think about him, I'm fine, I guess,' said Hermione truthful. She hardly thought of Draco these days. She also barely saw him. It was like he knew where she was and then avoided those places.

'The exams are coming up, so I have to study,' said Hermione after talking to Ginny for three hours about one thing and another.

'Hermione, the exams aren't due till two entire months. Relax, you'll pass with your eyes closed. Come on, we are going to have a girl's night,' said Ginny while she jumped up and pulled Hermione with her to the Head's dorm.

'But Gin, it's midday,' answered Hermione, who didn't want a girl's night.

'I thought it over and over again, and I think that when you dress up, Malfoy isn't able to resist you,' said Ginny and she stopped in front of the entrance to the Head dorm. She said the password and walked in. Hermione wanted to follow her, but she was pushed outside by Ginny.

'Come, let's go to the Gryffindor Common room, said Ginny quick and walked away.

'No, wait. Why shouldn't I be allowed to be in my dorm,' said Hermione and walked in.

'No wait!' said Ginny and tried to stop her, but she was too late; Hermione already saw what was happening. On the couch in front of the fire sat Draco, with his head rested on someone else's head: Lyra's. They were both sleeping peacefully. For some reasons she couldn't be mad at Lyra. Lyra was just lucky that Draco was interested in her. Wow Blaise was right, though Hermione, they do look perfectly together. Hermione felt the tears rise. She swallowed them away and coughed once. Draco's eyes shot open and he looked around confused, like he didn't know where he was. The his eyes rested on her and she saw the guilt in his eyes.

'It's not what you think,' said he quickly and tried to get up, but then he realised that Lyra was still sleeping on his shoulder.

'No, it's only Lyra sleeping on your shoulder. I get it. I mean, no one says how perfectly you two are together and it is also not possible that you two aren't having a relationship. Well maybe I should leave you two lovebirds alone,' said Hermione sarcastic and walked to her bedroom, hoping that Draco would stop her, that he could do something to prove her wrong. But didn't, so she closed the door behind her and sat with her back against it. She could hear Ginny screaming things to him through the door, but she didn't pay attention. She vaguely noticed that Lyra joined in with the discussion. So it was true, they were together. What has Lyra got, that she have? What was so special about Lyra that Draco had dumped her? Suddenly she heard someone knocking on the door.

'Go away Ginny,' said Hermione, trying to avoid that her voice would tremble.

'It's me, Lyra. Please let me in. I really should talk to you, it would clear things up,' said Lyra through the door.

'Go away, I don't want to talk to you,' whispered Hermione.

'Okay Malfoy, just admit it; you're gay and that is why you dumped Hermione,' she heard Ginny say to Draco through the door, before she placed a silent charm on her room. It was definitely something Ginny would say. Hermione sat there against her door for hours. The whole school could be evacuated and she wouldn't have noticed. She sat there until she noticed she was hungry. She looked at her watch; it was nine-forty. Merlin, she just missed dinner. Ah well, let's just go to the kitchen then, though Hermione and stood up. She walked to the kitchen. She was almost there, when she heard her name behind her. She turned around to see professor McGonagall.

'Yes professor,' said Hermione when she saw the Headmistress approach.

'I have already informed Mr Malfoy,' Hermione flinched at his name,' about the upcoming ball next Saturday. It will be your duty as Head Girl to do the opening dance with the Head Boy. The rest of the student will be informed tomorrow morning. Oh and why were you absent during dinner,' asked the professor.

'Ehm, I didn't feel well this afternoon, so I decided to sleep a bit. I just woke up and noticed that dinner was already over. I'm headed towards the kitchen for a sandwich,' said Hermione quickly, it was the first thing that came to mind. She hoped professor McGonagall would buy it. Luckily the professor did and she walked away. Hermione sighted and continued walking to the kitchen. When she reached the kitchen portrait, she tickled the pear and walked in, she realised something: she had to dance with Draco! Oh no, in front of the whole school. Her knees were about to give in, but a house elf guide her top a chair and she sat down. No, this can't be happening, she thought. The door opened and Blaise walked in, followed by Ginny.

'Hermione, I just heard that you and Malfoy need to do the opening dance,' said Ginny.

'How... where?' replied Hermione dazzled by the thought of dancing with Draco.

'Blaise told me and he heard McGonagall say it to Malfoy. What are you going to do?' asked Ginny. It all slipped past Hermione, the thought of Draco's touch made her stomach feel weird. It was something she hadn't felt in a long time.

'Hermione?' said Ginny for her to focus, 'Hermione!'

'What?' Hermione looked up. Ginny stared at her.

'You don't get it, do you? You have to dance with Malfoy. Look Hermione, I know you like him, but that doesn't mean he likes you,' said Ginny.

'Look Gin, is it all right with you if we discuss this tomorrow? I would like to go to bed,' sad Hermione while she stood up and walked away.

'No, you're not,' said Ginny and stopped her, 'Do you even have a dress? A real gala dress?' asked Ginny. Hermione thought. When they had their Christmas-shopping session, they bought dresses, but those were more spare time dresses, not Gala dresses. Oh wait, she did have one.

'I have the dress I wore at the Yule Ball,' said Hermione, but she wished she hadn't because Ginny's eyes almost seemed to pop out of her orbits.

'ONE DRESS! IMPOSSIBLE, WE ARE GOING SHOPPING!' screamed Ginny suddenly.

'Women, do you really need to yell?' said Blaise furiously, while his hands covered his ears.

'Yes, and you need to come along. I bet you don't have the right outfit,' said Ginny, already making a plan which shops to visit. Hermione could the plan forming in Ginny's eyes.

'WHAT! I'm NOT going to shop with you two! What in Merlin's name are you thinking?' Blaise stood up and faced Ginny. He was a head bigger than her, but Ginny didn't seem to care.

'I was thinking that we need someone to distract Lyra, when Hermione is going for Draco,' said Ginny.

'I'm still not going to shop with you two. What if someone recognizes me? I'm already in danger because I'm in the same room with you two. Do you have any idea what the other Slytherins will think if they knew I was making a plan with two Gryffindors, or worse, do you know what they will do?' said Blaise and stepped back.

'No I don't,' said Ginny and she turned to Hermione. Baise sighed and looked at his watch.

'Hermione, it is almost ten. Aren't you patrolling with Draco?' said Blaise and he looked at her.

'No, the schedule has changed. I can't be ...' Hermione started to search her back for the schedule. Where had she left it? She was sure she'd put in her bag. Oh there it was. Hermione took it out and looked at it. Merlin! Blaise was right. Only Saturday they hat to patrol together. She started to feel nausea. She couldn't walk in an empty corridor _alone_ with Draco. That was just impossible.

'Wish me luck,' said Hermione and tried to smile, but she failed. Blaise and Ginny said nothing, they just nodded. Hermione took her bag and walked out of the kitchen to the Head's dorm, as slowly as possible. Okay, it is not going to be your death, tried Hermione to cheer herself up, we'll be two adults, just walking together around the castle. We don't even have to talk. We don't even have to look at each other. We don't even have to walk side by side. Hermione stood in front of the portrait. She took a deep breath and said: 'White Brandy,' the wizards looked up from their everlasting game and let her in. She swallowed, hoping that Lyra wouldn't be there. First place where she looked was at the couches near the fire place. They were empty. She waited a couple of seconds to convince herself that it was alright just to walk on.

'Her-Granger.' Hermione's head snapped up and she saw Draco standing in the bathroom doorway, wearing only his boxers and his blouse, only covering his left arm. Hermione felt that her mouth fell open. She quickly closed it and swallowed.

'Malfoy,' she tried to say indifferent, but she found it very hard to concentrate on anything else but Draco, 'Maybe you should get dressed.' She was hoping that they didn't have to patrol together.

'Sure thing,' said Draco and her quickly walked into his room. Hermione sighted, this was going to be hard. Not to mention the ball coming up. Hermione walked to one of the couch in front of the fireplace and sat down. She laid her head down on the back of the couch and closed her eyes. Suddenly the portrait opened and someone came in: Lyra, who looked really pissed.

'Where's Draco?' she asked angry. Hermione pointed at his door, wondering what she had done now to piss Lyra off. Lyra nodded and marched to Draco's room, but half way she turned around.

'I owe you an apology, for the matter that you belief that I'm angry with you. That is certainly not the case. After reading this article, I'm convinced you'll understand why I'm angry with Draco,' said Lyra and she walked up to Hermione, handing her the latest edition of the Daily Profit.

'Will you excuse me? I have to yell at Draco,' apologized Lyra and walked to Draco's room, strode in, and slamming the door behind her. Hermione was in shock, what in Merlin's name could Draco have done to make her that angry?

'DRACO MALFOY!' Hermione heard before everything was completely silent. The only things Hermione could hear were the fire in the fireplace and her own breathing. After she heard nothing for a minute, Hermione concluded that there was a silence charm placed on Draco's room, so that she could hear what they were saying, or in Lyra's state of mind, screaming. Hermione turned to the Daily Profit Lyra gave her. The title was highlighted and printed in big words:

DeathEATERS escaped from Azkaban:

The day before yesterday no less than 15 deatheaters escaped from the once notorious prison of Azkaban. The ministry of magic has tried to keep it a secret, in an attempt to avoid fear spreading in Great Britain.

'We have sent all of our best Aurors, to catch the escaped deatheaters, and they are close to recapture all of the deatheaters. There is no need to worry, all of them will be locked up again this afternoon,' said Minister of Magic Robert Austen. Below is a list given of all the escaped deatheaters and who are still on the run.

'If you were to see one of the deatheaters, then do not confront them yourselves. Contact the ministry as soon as possible and our Aurors will take care of it,' spoke Kingsley Shacklebolt, head of the Auror's department.

How did the deatheaters escaped Azkaban in the first place? Is a question that rose. There are multiple theories about that ...

Hermione stopped reading. This can't be happening, she thought. She read the list: Crabbe, Goyle, Nott. Luckily all of them were already imprisoned again. Only then she read: _**Lucius Malfoy, not caught**__. _Oh, no, poor Draco, she thought. She looked to his door. Slowly she stood up and walked to his door. Her hand was already raised to knock on the door, but then her mind kicked in:

**Draco has Lyra to comfort him, why would he need you? **

It was not fair! She wanted to be the one who comforted Draco, not the gorgeous Lyra. Who am I, she thought, I have the brains, but not the looks. And in the end that is all what matters, right? She walked, no nearly ran, outside the dorm, just to get as far away from him as possible. She walked and walked, not knowing where she was going to, through the abandoned corridors. Her mind was telling her to keep walking, to avoid breaking her heart even further, her heart aching to go back. Why would Draco ever settle for her, if he could get every girl her wanted? She like- no loved Draco, that was for sure, but she wasn't going to change. She was Hermione Granger, part of the Golden Trio, cleverest witch of her age, why would she change? If he didn't want her, it was his flaw, not hers!

She wasn't convinced. She stopped in the middle of the corridor and looked around. Was this how her life would look like later? Walking alone, with nobody on her side? She wanted someone to tell her that it wasn't, someone that wrapped an arm around her, someone to tell her that he loved her. She wanted her blood status to change so that Draco would look at her like an equal, instead of being someone that was lower than him. The moment she thought that, she knew that she was wrong, but she just couldn't help it. She walked over to a bench, standing on her left and sat down. That was where the tears came. Salty tears dripped down her cheeks. She wanted someone to tell her that having a healthy mind was better than having a gorgeous body, someone to notice her as a female, not as a bookworm, or as being part of the Golden Trio. She wanted so much, too much and she knew that none of it would be true. But most of all, she wanted Draco to be that someone.

Damn it, why did she cried that much over Draco? Hermione was sure she would ran out of tears soon. She had never cried this much over Ron. Counted up all of the times Ron made her cry, was nothing compared to the times Draco made her cry. Okay, she cried a lot when he used to name-call her, but it counted.

Oh stop it Hermione! Get a grip! She shouldn't cry, not about Draco, not about anyone. She wiped away her tears and stood up. She walked into the direction, she just came off. Looking at her watch she saw it was nine-forty-five. She couldn't belief that she cried this long about Draco, after all he was just a stupid prat, not worthy her attention. She walked around the corner and the last thing she could remember were two grey eyes, that looked like Draco's, platinum blond hair and an evil laugh, before everything went black.

_**I cannot slip again. For her sake. Is this the right way? Is this really the only way? I used to think it was, but now I'm not sure. I want her, more than anything. She will never want me. I doubt if she ever wanted me in the first place. I can't sleep, my heart is aching. What, in this whole messed up world, do I need to do to be with her? Beg on my knees? I will. Tell her that I will always be hers? I tell her every day, if I only could. I want her, I need her, but I'll never have her. And to make things worse, the one person I thought would back me up, left me. Now I'm all on my own, and I don't like one single part of it. **_

**A/N HA, I like cliff hangers, sorry that is just me being mean. If you review, I'll promise to update quicker than last time. **

**I would love to hear some of your idea's, what do you think about it, who you think the bold italic person is, etc. It just makes my writing a lot easier. **


	13. Something left unsaid

Hermione opened her eyes in shock. What had happened? Where was she? She sat up in less than a second, noticing the rope binding her wrists together and a second rope that bound her ankles. Both of the ropes where connected to each other by a third rope, so that she was barely able to move.

'So the mudblood is finally awake,' said a voice from behind her. She turned around and saw the owner of the voice playing with her wand in his long slim fingers. It was obvious who he was, and where she was. The one place she never hoped to be again. It brought up bad memories.

'What do you want?' asked Hermione harsh, showing her Gryffindor pride. She was not going to do anything he wanted, she wasn't going to let him win.

'I assume you know why you are here,' he said it as a statement, rather than a question and rose from his chair. He slowly walked to her, still toying her wand.

'You want to get Harry. You must know that I will not cooperate,' Hermione tried to loosen the rope around her wrists, but it was too tight.

'That would be a bonus. Finally able to kill Potter. But no, that is not the real reason that you're here. You see, I know certain things about you and I know a lot of things about Draco,' he pronounced the name like it was dirt, 'that I don't like. It's alright for you to love Draco, who wouldn't. But the thing is, I don't like Draco having any kind of feelings towards you except those of hatred. That brings us back to the real reason why you are here: You are going to convince Draco to join the Dark Side again. And like every time it's up to me to take care of something.' He slowly paced up and down the table Hermione laid on. She was in a huge room and everything was like she remembered it, to the smallest detail.

'What if I don't?' asked Hermione, already knowing that she would never do that.

'I already thought so. That is why I took care of that: I will torture and kill one muggle every hour, until Draco is back on the only right side. You'll have until 12 o'clock on upcoming Saturday. And you will not tell anyone. If I notice that the teachers are informed muggles will die every minute,' he sat down on a chair at the head of the table, which only seemed to have one chair. Hermione wouldn't let any muggle die, she just couldn't.

'Okay,' agreed Hermione, already trying to find a way, in which Draco would still be at the good side, and no muggle would be killed. He gave her an evil creepy smile.

'I know you will be a good girl, although muggleborn. Then now I'll sent you back to Hogwarts, to start your mission. Oh, one more thing,' he said, while he stood up. He pointed his want at her and muttered something under his breath. Hermione could understand him. What did he just do? Hermione didn't know.

'Have a pleasant week, while you still can,' he said smile. It send shivers down her spine, the wrong kind of shivers. He, walked up to her and placed her wand behind her ear. She just couldn't reach it. He snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared with a pop next to him.

'You know what to do,' he said coldly without even looking at the house elf, who nodded. With another pop the house elf appeared next to her, grabbing her sleeve and the left the room, after everything became black again.

'Hermione?' she heard someone say. Hermione opened her eyes and jumped up. Her wrists were loose and so were her ankles. She looked around and was relieved when she saw she was back in her own bedroom. What happened last night. Everything was vague.

'How did I get here?' she asked Ginny, who just walked in and woke her up.

'I'm sure that you walked in here yourself. Are you almost finished, we have to go shopping for the ball, you remember?' said Ginny and it all came back to her. The ball, she had to get a decent dress so that Draco wouldn't be able to be cold against her... Draco.

'Why are you wearing your normal clothes?' asked Ginny, but she didn't hear it. She stormed outside the room and ran straight into Draco's.

'Draco!' she said, before realising that he was asleep, before she stormed in.

'Merlin, Granger, can't you knock first?' said a sleepy looking Draco annoyed and pulled his bedspread over his head.

'Oh, wake up, I need to tell you something,' said Hermione and pulled the bedspread away, Draco groaned angry, 'I ...' Hermione couldn't open her mouth to say it, ' I know where ...' again her mind thought the words, but her mouth didn't responded. Her lips felt like they were glued together.

'You know where who is?' asked Draco and he leaned on his elbows, bringing his upper body up.

'...' She couldn't say it. She simply couldn't say it. What was happening? No matter how hard she tried she couldn't say it. Draco sighted.

'If you have nothing interesting to say, then just go. There are some people who think sleeping is important, and I'm one of them,' said Draco. What did she need to do? Suddenly she had an idea. She walked out of the room, leaving a half asleep, half confused Draco and walked to the couch where she left the Daily Profit of yesterday on. She picked it up and walked back.

'Here,' she said and threw the Profit on his bed. He leaned with his back to the frame of his bed and picked up the Profit with his right hand. Suddenly Hermione's eyes were drawn to Draco's left arm, where she thought that she saw something back. Draco noticed it and he placed his left arm inside down on his bed.

'I know about the deatheaters. I've read this myself and I do belief that it held nothing of importance to me, so if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to sleep,' and saying that he threw the paper on the right side of his bed, for he slept on the left and laid down again, with his back to Hermione.

'Draco please, it is a matter of life and death,' tried Hermione.

'Do you mean that someone is dying or can possible die within five minutes if I don't listen to you?' said Draco annoyed.

'No but-'

'Then go,' he said with a tone that made clear that their conversation was over. Hermione turned around and walked out of his room. Why wasn't she able to say anything about what happened last night? What spell was been placed on her.

'You're finished talking to Draco?' asked Ginny, who sat down on her bed, when she walked into her bedroom. Hermione nodded.

'Good, now get dressed, again. We have to buy you a dress,' said Ginny happy, 'I was thinking; why not start today with seducing Malfoy? It is a great opportunity. Don't worry, I'll help you. Now don't you back up,' Hermione tried to argue with her, but she was cut off with;'Do you want him or what?' Hermione nodded.

'Then stop it and join me. Blaise is meeting us at the three broomsticks.'

This might work, thought Hermione when she looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a purple top, which had no shoulder on the left side, a skirt till her knees and heels of two inches, she bough during the Christmas-shopping session. She had never worn it, but it would change today. During the shopping for a dress, she Ginny and Blaise made a plan. If Hermione draw all of Draco's attention to her, then Blaise would have time to talk to Lyra. But how was she going to do that? Lyra and Draco were together for nearly 24/7. How was she going to interfere that? Oh stop it Hermione, she encouraged herself, you're smart and you look good. Draco won't be able to keep his eyes of you... It didn't work. Although Ginny said it over and over again, Hermione didn't belief it. Suddenly there was a knock on her door.

'Yes,' she said without wondering who it was. The door opened and Draco walked in. He stopped dead in his tracks and his mouth fell open. It made Hermione feel uncomfortable and special at the same time. Uncomfortable, because she could see lust in his eyes as they trailed down over her body. Special, because he noticed her, not that he hadn't done that be before, but now he thought that she was worth looking at. It made herself-esteem grow. She decided to play the way Ginny taught her.

'Yes, can I help you?' she said with a seductive voice. Draco swallowed and looked her in the eye again.

'Well, I...' he started, but he got lost.

'Yes?' she said in the same seductive voice and she walked to him, swaying her hips, feeling very stupid. How could someone not feel stupid swaying their hips so over the top. Draco must think she was dumb or something. But the swaying seemed to have an opposite effect on Draco. It made him more, nervous? Wait Draco Malfoy was nervous? What was going on? Was she causing it? No, just act on Hermione, she thought.

'Never mind,' he said when she stood in front of him. Was it an imagination, or did Draco's breath just accelerated? No, she wasn't imagining it, he was breathing faster. She was making him nervous. He stood so close that Hermione felt a desire to kiss him, but then she remembered what Ginny had said during the shopping this afternoon:

'_When you make him nervous, take your distance,' _

So that was exactly what she was going to do.

'Too bad,' she said still using the seductive voice and turned around, not knowing what to do else. What would be like her to do next? Her eye fell on her pile of books on her bed stand. Swaying her hips, she walked to the pile of books and took the top one. It was _Hogwarts; A History. _Her favourite, but it wouldn't be good, she wanted something more muggle. Hermione had no idea where the feeling came from to do all this, and she didn't know if it would help. The book underneath _Hogwarts; A History_ was _Romeo and Juliet_. That's funny, I can't remember bringing it, thought Hermione. Nevertheless, she took the book and turned around, to find Draco clutching his fists and closed eyes.

'Draco, you alright?' she asked before she knew it. Stupid! Now the whole seductive thing was a waste of time.

'Don't,' he said angry. Hermione didn't know if he was speaking to himself or to her. Draco brought his hand through his platinum blond hair. Platinum blond hair. OH NO, how could she forget!

'Draco, I need to tell you something,' she said quickly and took a step closer.

'Just, just stay there and leave me alone. Why can't you just hate me? It would make things a lot easier,' he said and stormed outside her room. Hermione could hear a door slamming. Did Draco just asked her to hate him? How could she hate him? He didn't love her, no he despised her, and her being in love with him was just impossible for him to bear. She had to stop this. She didn't want Draco to feel miserable. If she wasn't what Draco wanted, then she should live with it. She walked to her bed and placed her book on the pile of books. _Romeo and Juliet_, how alike. Only now Romeo wasn't going to kill himself so he could be with her, and Juliet would have to live without Romeo. It was so unfair! Hermione laid down and cried in her pillow, hoping Draco wouldn't hear it.

'Hermione?' she heard, knowing the owner of the voice to well.

'Go away,' she said, but not very convincing.

'What did Draco say?' Hermione sat up, hugging her pillow, wanting to tell someone.

'He asked me if I could hate him. Indirectly,' she added when she saw the confused look on Lyra's face, who stood in the doorway.

'Hermione, I know you think that I'm not reliable, and that I'm somehow involved with Draco. I can't deny that, but I can say that I am not, in no way, the girlfriend of Draco. We are just good friends. I will not ever see Draco in any other way,' said Lyra and Hermione wanted to trust her. She really wanted it, but she couldn't.

'You are more than friends,' Hermione whispered.

'I ... Can I come in, please?' asked Lyra and when Hermione nodded Lyra walked in, closed the door and sat down next to her.

'You're right, there is something more than friendship between Draco and me. I would love to tell you what it is, but I can't,' said Lyra apologizing. "Why couldn't she tell?" Screamed her mind, but Hermione ignored it. She didn't really want to think. Hermione took a closer look to Lyra. She looked, as always, tired and pale.

'Why do you look tired all the time?' she asked Lyra. Lyra smiled.

'Nothing for you to worry about,' said Lyra assuring. Suddenly Hermione noticed something.

'You have the same eyes as Draco, you know that?' Hermione looked at Lyra and saw her smiling.

'I know. Hermione, could you do me a favour? Combine every possible detail about my relationship with Draco and add our appearance. If you don't understand, then ask Ginny. She knows the love I feel towards Draco.' After saying this she stood up and walked out of the room, leaving a puzzled Hermione.

_**Why is she torturing me like that? Why does she have to look more beautiful every time I meet her? Why does she want me? If she just hated me, I could at least pretend to feel the same, but now I have to be the one that hurts her. I don't want to be that person, I have been him all my life. But she loves me and every time I see her, I just know that she wants me and that I want her and that it will never work. I have to keep reminding myself that I do this so that she is safe. But lately I wonder if it is safe. Not to mention the fact that I want someone else t**__**o back me up, and she just refuses. She doesn't want to hear what my motives are and she just yells that I need to do what my heart tells me. Why can't she understand that my heart is aching for Her, but my mind is telling me to run. To run before I get hurt. I have never felt this way before. My mind has never told me to run. It used to be my heart telling me to run. Why do I always listen to my mind? I had her, she was mine, and now she is out of my reach. Sadly, she was never in my league, but within reach while I was too blind to see. And now she is out of my league and out of my reach. Why, why is she torturing me? **_

**A/N So? What did**** you think? **

**Please Review!**


	14. A lonely Dance

**A/N Hey guys! Since I promised to upload soon: here is my next chapter. Enjoy!**

A loud knock woke her up.

'GRANGER!' she heard someone scream furiously. She quickly got out of bed and walked as fast as she could to her door. She opened the door and saw Draco, fully dressed in his uniform, standing in her doorway, holding a parchment partially burned.

'What is this?' he yelled angry and pushed it in her face.

'I don't know!' she yelled back and grabbed the parchment out of his hands to take a look at it. It had burn holes in it, but on top it was clearly readable: _To Draco Malfoy_ in her handwriting.

'Hey, that is my letter,' said Hermione, still half asleep. The letter she wrote him, to inform him about what had happened to her.

'No, really?' Draco said sarcastically, 'who else would shove a burning letter, addressed to me, under my door?'

'Well did you read it?' Hermione saw Draco's mouth almost fall open.

'Well, I tried, but it is quite hard to read a letter when it is largely burned!' Hermione took another look at her letter. Draco was right, it was impossible to read this letter.

'Can you tell me why you wrote me this?' asked Draco and grabbed the parchment from her hands.

'Well, I was trying to tell you what happened to me, but I can't-'

'Yeah sure, something happened, something awful and I need to know, but you are unable to tell me. Look ... Just don't ...' Draco sighted, 'Will you leave me alone? I'm in enough trouble already. I don't want you.' After saying that he walked to the long table, grabbed his bag and walked away.

'Where are you going?' asked Hermione curious, before Draco's words fully sank into her.

'Slytherin Common Room,' he said cold and left. Hermione stood there in her bedroom doorway, not able to move. Did Draco hate her? Why did he hate her? Because she was muggleborn? Because ... Hermione could come up with a hundred reasons for Draco to hate her, but none of them made sense. One moment he was nice to her, and the other he was being his old self again. Suddenly Hermione realized something. Draco said that he was already in enough trouble, what kind of trouble? Hermione had no time to think what kind of trouble Draco could be in because the next second Ginny came storming in.

'Well?' asked Ginny enthusiastically, but she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Hermione.

'Well what?' tried Hermione to say like nothing happened, but Ginny wasn't fooled.

'Hermione what happened?' she asked. Hermione looked her in her eyes.

'I can't tell,' Hermione said and Ginny gave her a you-know-you-can-tell-me-everything look.

'Come on!' replied Ginny.

'No, I'm serious,' said Hermione and looked at her watch; half an hour till breakfast. Annoyed she turned around and walked to her bedroom, to change into her school uniform.

'Okay, just tell me, if you have to use a detour,' said Ginny who followed her.

'Gin, that's brilliant!' said Hermione and she quickly buttoned her blouse, thinking how she was going to tell Ginny.

'Okay, Draco's ... Wait, they guy I like, yeah? His father, still with me?' she asked and saw Ginny nod and say: 'Lucius Malfoy.'

'Yeah him, well he took me to his ... A huge building named after him,' said Hermione and started to depict a house.

'Malfoy Manor?' Hermione nodded.

'He persuaded me to make his son ... Draco needs to ... switch ... ... ...' Hermione was getting really annoyed now. She grabbed her bag and left her dorm with Ginny for the Great Hall. When they arrived there, she saw Draco sitting next to Lyra at the Slytherin table, looking less angry than he was before. In the mean time they hadn't got much further. As they sat down at the Gryffindor table, Hermione was determined not to give up.

'Harry help us, Hermione needs to tell something, but she can't say it. Maybe we should go to McGonagall?' suggested Ginny.

'No!' said Hermione quickly, thinking of Lucius' threat.

'Just listen. Gin?' she asked Ginny, hoping Ginny would understand.

'Hermione was taken to Malfoy Manor by Lucius Malfoy and something happened concerning Malfoy Junior,'

'What about Malfoy?' asked Ron almost sounding jealous.

'He has to ...' suddenly Hermione had a idea, 'Harry, your suspicions about Malfoy in the sixth year, he has to make them true.'

'Hm? Herms, I don't get it,' said Harry confused. Hermione sighted, this was going to be hard.

Her last lesson of that day had just finished and Hermione was packing her bag. All morning and afternoon she had been trying to explain Harry and Ginny what happened, but she failed. Ron just didn't care and every time when she was talking about it, he was acting childish by walking away. She walked out of the room and to the Gryffindor common room. When she was almost there, she bumped into someone: Lyra.

'Hi,' said Hermione absently.

'Have you already found the answer?' asked Lyra hopeful.

'Have I found which answer already?' replied Hermione, quickly thinking what Lyra could be talking about.

'My relationship with Draco. Do you already know about it?' Hermione had focused on what happened in the Manor, that she totally forgot.

'No, I'm sorry,' answered Hermione guilty.

'What is on your mind?' asked Lyra and Hermione had all of a sudden the feeling that Lyra could read her mind. Could she trust Lyra? Could she tell Lyra what happened? Lyra probably wouldn't understand anyway, and Hermione didn't want Draco to know. How would Draco feel when he knew what his father would do? No, don't think about Draco right now, Hermione though to herself.

'Nothing,' said Hermione quickly and faked a smile. At first Lyra didn't seem to buy it, but out of nowhere she smiled back.

'Okay, but if you need a listening ear, don't hesitate and just ask me,' Lyra replied and walked away in a steady pace. _That was odd_, said a voice in the back of her mind. _Lyra would not have given up that easily. You saw the way she looked after you said nothing. She knows something_. But Hermione ignored it and walked on. As she stood in front of the Fat Lady, she heard something behind her. She turned around, curious who it was and the last thing she saw was a blue beam of light hitting her. She fell on her back and her eyes were closing slowly. She could vaguely hear footsteps depart and everything became silent.

Hermione's eyes popped open en she sat up right. Where was she? Everything was very blurry.

'Herms,' she heard a familiar voice say. She looked at the direction where the voice came from, and the image became clear.

'Harry,' she said relieved, knowing that she was somewhere safe, 'What happened?'

'You were hit by a spell that made you unconscious for two whole days. Professor McGonagall said that you were allowed to leave once you'd wake up. Of course Madam Pomfrey wants to keep you here longer,' replied Harry looking on his watch. Hermione couldn't believe it; she had been unconscious for two whole days! The amount of homework she had missed! Hermione didn't know if she could ever be able to catch up again. Harry checked his watch again.

'What is it, Harry?' asked Hermione curiously.

'Nothing, I'll stay here. They can do without me for one time.'

'Who can?'

'Quidditch practice-'

'Go Harry, don't let me keep you here. I'll be just fine,' said Hermione and she looked at Harry, persuading him to go.

'I don't know, Herms.'

'Go,' she said demanding and Harry hesitated for a couple of seconds before he stood up and hugged her.

'You're the best,' he said laughing and walked away. It made Hermione smile, it was so easy to make Harry happy. Suddenly her eyes fell on something on her bed stand. It looked like a letter. She reached out for it and read it:

_Dear Hermione, _

_I wish I could explain everything to you. There is only one thing I can say: Everything passes by time, which is a great healer. But most off all I wish I had the courage to say this: I love you. What I'm planning to do is either very brave, or very reckless, but I have found out that there is a thin line between them. I can't tell you what it is that I'm planning on, 'cause you'll hate me for sure. I wish that I could do something to make up for what has happened between you and me, but there isn't anything I can do. I've messed up before, but I won't not mess up again. _

_The only thing I'm asking from you is to move on. Don't wait for me. All I want you to be happy and I found myself incapable of making you so. _

_You are the smartest, funniest, most beautiful, most wonderful witch I have ever met, never doubt that. _

_I must get going__. As I'm writing this letter, I wonder if I'll ever see you again. I certainly hope so. _

_Yours for ever._

No name, there was no name at the bottom of the letter. Who could have written this? She read the letter again: "_I wish I could do something to make up for the what has happened between you and me"_, What had happened? And "_yours for ever", _she didn't know anyone who loved her that much. She reread the letter, but the more she read it the more confused she became. There was no indication to who wrote this letter. She'd also never seen this handwriting before. It was such a neat handwriting, she's recognize it when she saw it. Vaguely she recalled seen something equal to this handwriting before, but where?

'Miss Granger?' said a voice that make her look up. Professor McGonagall came in her view. Hermione quickly hid the letter behind her back.

'Yes professor?' asked Hermione, not entirely sure why McGonagall was here.

'Have you seen Mr. Malfoy around?'

'No professor, he hasn't been here.'

'Very well then, if you see him could you tell him to come to my office immediately? I'll arrange with madam Pomfrey that you can leave,' said the Headmistress and walked to the office of the school nurse, leaving a confused Hermione. Was Draco gone? Where did he go? Why did he go? Did it have something to do with her? No, it couldn't be. Did he even go? He could have been in the Head's dorm all along. But why hadn't he shown himself? Why hadn't he shown up in class? Hermione had the feeling that something was wrong. At that moment McGonagall came back with Madam Pomfrey, who looked quite angry.

'Letting her go, Minerva, is stupid. She needs rest!' said Madam Pomfrey angry.

'Come, come Poppy, I reckon her to be wise enough to get her rest somewhere else, for I'm sure she has loads of work to catch up on.' Although Madam Pomfrey wasn't too happy about it, Hermione found herself outside the hospital wing ten minutes later, still holding the strange letter. As quickly as she could, she walked to the Head's dorm, hoping Draco would be there. She stopped in front of the portrait, muttered the password and when the portrait opened she stepped in.

'Draco!' she yelled, but no one responded. She walked to his bedroom, dropping her bag next to the long table and the letter on top of it and without knocking, she opened the door. She looked around: no one was there. In the middle of the white room stood a large four-poster with emerald green sheets, neatly made-up. The rest of the room was also clean and tidy, as if no one had been there for days. She walked to the old brown closet, next to the window, and opened it. The first thing she noticed where the green Quidditch robes which belonged to Draco, along with some other clothes. She opened another drawer, feeling somewhat guilty for sneaking around in Draco's room. She couldn't believe what she saw: Draco's school uniform laid there, folded up neatly.

It couldn't be, it just couldn't. Slowly she walked backwards, until she hit his bed and sat down. If his uniform was here it meant that he was really gone. Where did he go? Why hadn't he told her? As she looked around again, she still couldn't accept it, Draco wasn't gone. She sat there, she didn't know how long. It could be ten minutes, it could be an hour. Slowly it dawned on her: Draco was gone.

He left without a goodbye, without a note, Hermione thought. Would she ever get to see him again. She hoped so. For everything he had done to her in the past, she forgave him. She wanted him now more than ever. Tears started to ran down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands and started to cry.

She looked up when she felt an arm around her shoulders and saw her red haired fired sitting next to her, comforting her. Ginny somehow knew that she didn't want to talk. A small part of her still didn't admit the fact that Draco had left. It was completely irrational: Draco had come back this year to graduate. To rebuild his life. What could be that important to leave that all behind. She knew he never truly liked her, but she wished that he had liked her slightly. Apparently that had never happened, or would ever happen. Hermione placed her head on Ginny's shoulder and cried on.

She heard the portrait open and her head snapped up: Draco! She ran outside the room, hoping that Draco would stand there, that it all would have been a misunderstanding. But in the room was Blaise, looking quite sad himself. Hermione was overwhelmed by disappointment and grief. Blaise looked at her for a couple of second before he spoke.

'Is it true?' he said, trying to prevent his voice from trembling. Hermione just nodded. Blaise sighted and ran his hand through his hair.

'Zabini,' said Ginny coldly from behind her, 'Malfoy is not here, so I suggest you leave.'

'No, Gin, it's okay,' was the only thing Hermione could say before she started to sob. Blaise walked to her and hugged her, giving comfort which Hermione gladly took. She had never been this close to Blaise before and she could feel his sadness as well. Draco was his friend after all.

'It's okay. Who am I kidding, I don't even buy it. Not did Lyra, you know. She is completely devastated, I think she is blaming herself,' said Balise.

'Hermione, there is an owl for you,' said Ginny as she walked to the window, opened it and took the owl's note. She walked back to hand the note over to Hermione who read it:

_Dear m__s Granger,_

_Under these circumstances, I notify that the staff will take care of the Ball upcoming Saturday._

_Kind regards,__ Professor McGonagall._

The ball, she had completely forgotten about it and her chance to dance with Draco.

'Well that's a burden less,' joked Hermione, trying to cheer herself up, unfortunately without success. Neither Ginny or Blaise laughed.

Nobody except for Hermione and some Slytherins, including Pansy, Blaise and Lyra, cared where Draco was.

'Good thing he's gone. Scum like that shouldn't be alive in the start,' said Ron during breakfast at the day of the ball, three days after Draco disappeared.

'Ron!' said Hermione angrily. As usual Harry tried to stay out of it.

'What, Hermione? You don't like him either. Just think what goods a Malfoy can do.' Hermione was about to contradict that, when the mail arrived. As usual the Daily Profit arrived. She gasped when she saw it and she started to read quickly.

'What, is it Herms?' asked Ginny and started to read over Hermione's shoulder, but Hermione already stood up and grabbed the newspaper.

'I left something in the Head's dorm,' she said and grabbed her bag along when she walked out of the Hall with a steady pace. Within fifteen minutes she reached the dorm and muttered the password. She let herself fall on one of the couches and started to read the article again. This can't be true, she thought, this is impossible. But the article was clear and the moving photo on the front was evidence: Draco was spot with his father. The disapparated before the Aurors could arrive.

Draco hadn't turned bad, he just couldn't have. That wasn't true. It couldn't be, could it? He had changed sides, he had turned good. He wasn't a deatheater, he never had been. How could he have changed sides again? What was in it for him? Hermione didn't know how, but she managed to come through another day. Luckily her friends didn't ask any questions. It was horrible, the story that Draco changed side again was quickly spread through the school. During dinner Hermione looked at the Slytherin table, and sawBlaise talking to Lyra, who looked extremely tired, and sad. Hermione had the urge to go and comfort her, but she repressed it by saying that neither Lyra nor Hermione would gain something from it.

She sat down and started doing potions. It helped her through most of the day. She barely ate, she was that focused on her work, it needed to be perfect. She was almost finished when Ginny stormed in, at around six 'o clock.

'Just what I thought, you haven't done anything yet!' Hermione wanted to say that she had done all of her work, but she figured that it wasn't what Ginny was talking about, 'Stop working Herms, we need to get you ready for the Ball.'

'Ball?'

'Yes, the Ball of tonight, the Ball you and Dra… you needed to organize,' said Ginny annoyed and she pulled Hermione out of her chair, to take her to the bathroom to get ready.

'I don't feel like going tonight, Gin,' said Hermione and pulled herself loose from Ginny's grasp. Ginny turned around with a determined look on her face.

'You are going whether you like it or not! We didn't buy that dress for notthing, didn't we?' Before Hermione could say anything she was pulled along again into the bathroom where she was placed on a chair. Ginny started to do Hermione's hair. Hermione let her, she knew that Ginny would do it ten times better than if she would do it herself and it would make Ginny happy. After Ginny finished her hair and make-up, they sat down for dinner, which took them half an hour to finish.

'Wow, Hermione, you look really beautiful!' said Harry enthusiastic when Hermione descended down the stairs, moments before the ball started. She felt her cheeks redden and she smiled. She was wearing a green dress, very similar to the one she'd wore at the Yule Ball.

'Shall we go?' asked Lavender impatiently and pulled Ron along, who just stared at Hermione with his mouth half open.

'I'm sorry you don't have a date,' said Ginny.

'That's okay,' said Hermione, it was the same she told herself, and she believed it. She didn't need to be with someone to have fun. It was a ball after all. You could dance with whoever it was. She suggested to go inside, and Harry led Ginny. Hermione followed them, the moment she walked in the Great Hall she was astonished. The Great Hall looked even better than it did by the Yule Ball. It was complete opposite to the Yule Ball; where the Yule Ball had been more like an ice palace, this Ball looked more like a fire castle. Everywhere she looked, she could see little flames peacefully dancing in the air, giving off nice warmth. The Hall was led by those flames burning in different colours. Hermione had never seen something like this. It was absolutely beautiful. Hermione looked around and spotted her friends. Harry and Ginny were already off to the dance floor and Ron and Lavender were surprisingly also dancing. Her eye fell on one of those flames, flying close by. She walked to one and reached out for it. Her fingertip touched the edge of the flame and suddenly Hermione was overwhelmed by a feeling of warmth and cosiness. It was like she was lying in a warm bath.

'Hey,' said a voice behind her. When she turned around she saw it was Blaise, wearing expensive looking dark blue dress robe. He looked really good in it.

'Looking good there Zabini,' Hermione said laughing.

'You don't look bad yourself Granger,' Blaise replied with a smile on his lips.

'Didn't Lyra want to come?' Hermione asked. She didn't needed to shout over the music. It was soft planning music, inviting people to come in.

'No, she said she was too tired,' answered Blaise and looked down.

'I'm sorry,' said Hermione, not wanting to make Blaise upset.

'It's okay,' he assured and looked towards the dance floor, where a few people were dancing, before looking back at her,' You want to dance?' He extended his hand. Hermione hesitated for a second. Blaise was nice and friendly, but he was a Slytherin. She had no idea how Harry and Ron were going to react. They wouldn't want her to dance with a Slytherin. But, Blaise could give a fun evening. And this was a good opportunity to somewhat reduce the hatred between the Slytherin House and the Gryffindor House.

'Won't you be in trouble?' she asked. He smiled.

'The only one who actually talked to me was Draco, so nobody bothers who I dance with,' said Blaise and Hermione took his hand. Blaise wasn't an evil Slytherin and now that she thought about it, Hermione wasn't sure why Blaise was in Slytherin. He leaded her to the dance floor and placed his left hand at her waist, while holding her left hand with his right. Hermione placed her right hand on his shoulder and ignored all the weird looks the couple received from people around. They started to dance. Despite what she thought, Blaise was a good dancer, even better than Victor, who she danced with at the Yule Ball. After several turns the music became louder, with a faster beat, which was no problem for the two of them. Hermione had the time of her life. She could dance away her worries, she could forget everything and just concentrate on dancing, which wasn't difficult at all. She smiled and had more fun than she had in the past terms at Hogwarts. It was a good idea to give a Ball, it loosened the students up. And not only the students, Hermione spotted some of the teachers dancing together.

After four songs, Hermione felt dehydrated and was longing for some punch.

'Shall we go and drink some!' she screamed on Blaise ear, hoping her could hear her despite the music. Luckily he nodded and they left the dance floor and walked to the table where there were drinks prepared. Hermione took a beaker, filled with punch and just took a gulp, when she was pulled backwards by her upper arm.

'Hermione, what are you thinking? Dancing with the enemy, have you lost your mind?' said Ron furious. He towered over her, beside him stood Harry and Ginny. Lavender was nowhere to be seen.

'Well Ronald, as you and Lavender were dancing, I thought why not me?' answered Hermione and pulled her arm loose. She didn't have to answer to Ron.

'Well, yeah, but he is Slytherin!-'

'So what? Blaise isn't that bad!' answered Hermione angrily. What was he thinking! He couldn't tell her what she had to do and what not. No, she wasn't going to let Ron ruin her night.

'All Slytherin are bad, to the last person,' said Ron and looked at Harry for confirmation. Harry opened his mouth to say something when suddenly someone screamed. A high pitch voice, filled with terror, coming from the Dance floor. Hermione's first reaction was to run towards the source of the screaming. In the middle of the dance floor, which was now a huge open space, was an unconscious man she knew all too well. He was tied up with robed and a red handkerchief covered his mouth. Harry appeared behind her and he looked shocked at the man.

It was Lucius Malfoy

_**It went well, I did what I had to do. My plan is brilliant, but dangerous. If anyone were to discover my true mask, it all would have been a waist. Although I have swo**__**rn to myself that I would never live like this again, I had to break that promise, just to keep everybody I care for safe. I can't think of her, it would hurt too much. I want her close, to tell her I love her. But I doubt that sentence will ever leave my lips. **_

**A/N **

**I would like to know your opinion. It really helps me writing.  
Please Review! **


	15. A new hero

'Everybody move!' said the voice of professor McGonagall behind her. Hermione stepped aside to let the headmistress pass. She still couldn't believe that Lucius Malfoy was here, tied up and unconscious.

'All students must go back to their dormitories, immediately,' said McGonagall and willingly everybody left, in a hurry, except for Harry, Ginny, Ron, Neville, Luna, Blaise, who stayed on the background, and Hermione. McGonagall looked at them and decided that they could stay. With a flick of her wand the handkerchief was removed and with another flick Mr. Malfoy woke up. At first he didn't know where he was. When he realized he was in the Great Hall, he started to struggle to loosen the robes, but it was all in vain. The robes even became tighter, so it seemed.

'Do you know who did this?' asked McGonagall with her wand raised, ready to attack.

'No, I don't. If I find out who did this, he'll be a dead man,' after saying that Lucius Malfoy refused to speak. Apparently one of the teachers owled the Ministry, because five minutes later the Aurors arrived to take Mr. Malfoy away. Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville were walking back to the Gryffindor common room. Luna had already left, together with Blaise. Hermione was slowly making her way back to the Head department. Hermione's brain was working so hard, that it would almost seem impossible for anyone not to hear it.

It didn't make any sense. Mr Malfoy would never let himself get caught. He would never want go back to Azkaban, a fate that was now sealed upon him. He only would have been caught by someone who was close to him. But everyone close to him, wouldn't want to sent him to Azkaban. How did he even got here? It is impossible to apparated within the walls of Hogwarts, only the Head master or Headmistress could, so how did he get here? Well, Hermione couldn't tell for sure that he apparated, she wasn't there when he appeared, but he couldn't have been brought in without anyone noticing. But something else was bugging Hermione: why was he send here in the first place? Obviously the one who caught Mr. Malfoy wanted to turn him in. But why was he send to Hogwarts, instead of the Aurors department in the Ministry? Did the one responsible wanted to show something to someone? But who was that someone and why wanted he, Hermione assumed it was a man, to show someone?

Without noticing she was already back at her dormitory.

'Amicitia,' Hermione said absently and the portrait swung open. She walked to one of the couches and picked her wand, out of her pocket underneath the skirt of her dress, to ignite the fire in the fireplace. She sat there, staring ahead, wishing Draco was here. She wondered if he already knew. How would he feel? Would he be sad? He must be, it is his father who is going to be sent to Azkaban. Hermione was distracted by a noise coming from the window. She stood up and walked to it. When she opened it a paper plane flew in, completely dry, while it drizzled outside, and it landed on the table. Hermione close the window and picked up the plane, to unfold it. It was a note saying five words written in green ink:

_I did that for you_

It scared Hermione a bit. She received a note, just after the arrest of Lucius Malfoy, saying _I did that for you_. Why was this note send to her. It wasn't a stalker, was it? But what did the note mean? Did the writer mean the arrest? Or the tied up Mr. Malfoy on the floor of Hogwarts? Well at least now she knew why Mr. Malfoy was send to Hogwarts; she was that someone the man responsible wanted to show something to, but what did he want to show? That he could catch a death eater and hand him over? But why didn't he just told her in person? All those mysteries almost drove Hermione mad. Suddenly she noticed something: the handwriting looked exactly the same as the strange letter she got,a couple of days ago. She walked to her room and opened the drawer on her nightstand where the letter was in. She took the letter out of it and walked back to the common room. She was right, the handwriting was the same. With the past events, she hadn't got time to think about the letter. Who wrote it? She read the letter again. This was frustrating! She was the cleverest witch of her age, but she couldn't figure out who wrote the letter, nor the note.

Hermione stared at the note and the letter, hoping something would indicate who it was, but nothing happened. She went to bed around 3 o'clock and changed in her nightwear, thankful she could take off the heels. When her head hit the pillow she was fast asleep.

On Sunday, Hermione stood up at 7 o'clock, because she couldn't sleep. The whole Writer-thing kept her awake, for more than a week now. Instead of just sitting in front of the fireplace doing nothing, Hermione decided to check her Transfiguration essay, which was due tomorrow, once more. At eight she was absolutely sure that nothing could be changed, so she went down to eat some. She was one of the few who were there. Some sixth year Ravenclaws were already sitting at their table. As Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table, the Daily Profit arrived. She brought a piece of toast to her mouth as she unfolded the Daily Profit and started right into the eyes of Fenrir Greyback. Hermione dropped her piece of toast and scanned through the article. Apparently Fenrir Grayback was discovered in the office of the Minister of Magic, tied up the same way as Lucius Malfoy had been. It seemed to have been the same person. Again: Grayback didn't know who it was.

Hermione looked at the photo again, it was an old photo, which used to be hanging out in the streets as a warning sign. Before Hermione had fully taken in the news, a paper plane arrived next to her plate. It was him again; the Writer. Hermione just knew. She unfolded the plane and there stood nine words, in the same green ink:

_I have never betrayed you, nor shall I ever_

This was freaking her out. Her appetite was gone completely. She really needed to tell someone. But who could she tell? She couldn't tell Harry, he would want to do something stupid and somehow tell Ron and that was the last thing she wanted. Neither could she tell Ginny, she didn't want her to worry. Maybe she could tell Blaise? He would know what to do. From the inside of her robes she grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote to Blaise to meet her in the Heads dorm. Athena, her owl, was still here, so she gave the note to her and told her to bring it to Blaise. After Athena flew away, she stood up, with the Daily Profit in one hand and the note in the other and walked back to her dorm.

Coming in, she placed the note on the long table next to the Daily Profit and went up stairs to get the other note. She came down again and placed the note on the table, next to the other one. Hermione was pacing in her dorm, waiting for Blaise to come. After ten minutes she heard the portrait swung open and Blaise stepped in the dorm.

'I hadn't expected you this early,' said Hermione.

'I couldn't sleep,' answered Blaise and sat down on one chair near the long table, 'So, what is it that you want to show me?'

'You remember what happened at the Ball, right?' Blaise nodded, 'That evening I came back into the dorm and I received a note,' she held up the note, 'this morning, at breakfast, I received another one. And these notes have something to do with the caught death eaters-'

'Death eaters?' asked Blaise, emphasizing the 's'. Hermione gave him the Daily Profit and waited until he was finished with reading.

'How? I mean those death eaters must have a clue who it is. I can't imagine them letting anybody close. It has to be someone they trust,' said Blaise looking at her.

'I know, can you make sense out of these notes?' asked Hermione, while handing him the notes. Blaise took the notes and looked at the first, slightly confused. He turned the parchment around a few times, as if he was expecting to find something on the back side. He took the other note and did exactly the same.

'What is it?' asked Hermione curious, not understanding why Blaise just didn't read the notes.

'There is nothing written on these notes,' said Blaise, handing them back. When Hermione looked at the notes, and she could clearly read the words.

'Then you need to look,' she put them back in his hand.

'Granger, there is nothing on these notes. They're empty. If there's anything written on it, it must be with invisible ink.'

'But…'Hermione took a few seconds to take that in and then she understood it. 'A bedazzeling hex on the letters… But why…? Of course, a no-peak-bedazzeling hex.' Hermione was pacing the floor trying to figure out what it all meant.

'Granger, I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts, but I can't so will you please tell me what you're thinking about?' Blaise's words made her stop pacing and she turned to face him. He had a look in his eyes that made her speak.

'Don't you understand? The one who wrote the notes must have placed a no-peak-bedazzeling hex on the ink. That is why only I can see the ink. The question is why this person wants me to be the only person to read them, and who he is.'

'Granger, aren't you overreacting? Maybe you should let it go? If you don't mind, I'll go back to the Slytherin Common room and see if Lyra needs help,' Blaise stood up and walked to the portrait, pretending nothing happened. But Hermione saw it: he flinched at

'Is she still blaming herself?' asked Hermione softly, not wanting Blaise to get hurt.

'Yeah,' he answered and walked out of the dorm. After the portrait closed Hermione sat down on the couch. Was Blaise right? Should she let it go?

**No, someone has send you weird messages! Of course you don't let it go! You are Hermione Granger, you know almost everything and you won't rest until you know who this is, **spoke her rational brain.

_But who could it be?__ Who would write her those notes and capture those death eaters? _Hermione thought and she started pacing again.

**It has to be someone you know, **answered her rational brain**, someone who wants you to figure out. That's why he, or she, is sending those messages to you. **

_But why?_

**Simple; the Writer knows you are smart and think logical which makes you see things other people don't. **

_Can't it be that the Writer is just sending the notes to the wrong person? _A part of Hermione wanted that, she wanted just to concentrate on the exams... THE EXAMS! Merlin, how could she be that stupid? She is suppose to be learning for the NEWT's. She can't be wasting her time to someone that, for all she knows, could be a joke. What if someone knew about the captures and wrote a note to her. Yeah, that will probably be it. What else could it be? She was probably over thinking it too much and making it look like a whole lot more than it actually is. Anyway there was no time to think about that, she needed to study. Hermione quickly grabbed her transfiguration book and started to learn about Conjuring Spells

One week till the NEWT' started Hermione had spent more time in the library then anybody thought was possible. Today, Saturday, she was in the library again. Studying kept her mind off things; the Writer, the captured death eaters( Which were two more in the past two weeks, with two more unread notes, which she kept in her drawer of her nightstand), Draco ... No she couldn't think of that. That would ruin her studying time and she needed it. Besides she hadn't seen her friends in days and when she did; they were only taking about the wizard that captured the death eaters. They talked about him as if he was a hero. They didn't seem to understand that they needed to study, because they would never pass their NEWT's.

After two more hours of reading through Charms, Hermione felt that she was hungry. When she looked at her watch, she noticed that it was almost diner time. Well, I think I need the food, thought Hermione and closed her book before putting them in her bag. She walked out of the library, but she was stopped by a voice behind her.

'Miss Granger? You forgot this plane. I hope such "thing" will not be found in my library again. Have I made myself clear?' said Madam Pince, the librarian, and looked disgusted at the paper plane. Hermione looked at it and immediately knew whose plane that was.

'I'm sorry, it won't happen again,' apologized Hermione and held out her hand so that Madam Pince could place the plane in her hand. Reluctantly placed Madam Pince the plane in Hermione's hand. Hermione put it in her bag and left the library without saying another word. When she reached the Great Hall, she sat down at the Gryffindor table. Still not wanting to read the messages, she tried to get herself involved in the conversation, but it wasn't really working. Again the conversation was about the new hero. After what seemed like ages, Hermione stood up and excused herself. She left the Hall and went back to the Head's dorm.

'Lyra?' she said when she reached the portrait. The girl was standing there, quietly with her back to Hermione. She turned around, and Hermione could see she had cries.

'Hermione, I was looking for you. Have you found the answer already?'

'No, I'm sorry. I don't have much time to think about it,' answered Hermione honestly. She forgot that Lyra had asked to find the relationship she and Draco had- have. What did she think? That Draco was her brother or so?

'You are right, you know. Just give it s second thought,' said Lyra and walked away. Hermione was dazzled? Sometimes she really had the feeling that Lyra could read her minds. But that was impossible, she would know if someone was reading her mind, right? Harry had known when Voldemort read his mind. While she shook her head she stepped in her dorm and sat down at the long table. She preferred studying in the library, because everything here reminded her of Draco. But now that the library was closed, she had to sit here. She sighed and got the book out of her bag. She had just one week left till the exams, she'd better study hard.

Hermione's eyes shot open at once and looked at the alarm on her nightstand: eight-thirty. BLOODY HELL! She was going to be late. Her first exam was at nine o'clock. How did this happen? She was never late. Hermione jumped out of bed and changed as fast as she could. After changing, eating and brushing her teeth, she grabbed her and sprinted towards the Great Hall, where the exams were. She reached it with five minutes to spare. Quickly she grabbed the summary she had made of her first subject, charms, for her theory-exam and read it through quickly. She hoped she could memorise everything. She wasn't going to fail this exam, she just couldn't.

But what if she did? NO, don't think about that, thought Hermione to herself when she walked to her seat. She wasn't going to fail.

Hermione sat down next to Harry, Ginny, Ron, Lavender, Blaise and Lyra, near the black Lake. It was at Hermione's request that Blaise and Lyra were there. Luckily Ginny made effort in involving them in the conversation, therefore so did Harry. Ron and Lavender were just snogging. Hermione suddenly noticed that Lyra looked less tired, these days.

'I thought the exams were not that difficult,' said Hermione and looked around the group, 'I expected them to be more difficult.'

'Not that difficult? Hermione, they were like suicide! How can you even think that they weren't difficult?' said Harry offended, Ginny and Blaise looked at her with the same look on their faces.

'They weren't difficult at all. I had the same questions last year at MGS too. But I figure that if you hadn't been studying it would have been quite difficult,' agreed Lyra with Hermione. Blaise turned his head to her and looked at her totally surprised.

'Easy for you to say; you're a sixth year, you don't have NEWT's exams,' replied Blaise.

'I could have done the NEWT's exam with my eyes closed, hypodermically speaking. They were easy as well. But let's stop talking about the exams, this is our last week before this term is over. So tell me, has any of you ever been in a situation in Hogwarts which you thought was unusual?' asked Lyra.

'I have been in the Chamber of Secrets,' answered Harry.

'So have I, and let's not forget the Room of Requirement,' added Ginny.

'The Room of Requirement? It sounds like a room that can transform into anything which could come in handy for the user,' said Lyra.

'Well it is,' answered Hermione.

'Genius, where is this room? It will be in my advance when I come back next year,' said Lyra. Hermione smiled, and started to think about the DA lessons Harry gave in their fifth year. It only seemed yesterday. The years had passed so quickly.

'Shall we go inside? I believe it is almost lunch time,' said Ginny suddenly and everybody stood up. They left Ron and Lavender, and walked back to the castle. Harry and Ginny walked hand in hand, and Hermione walked between Lyra and Blaise. Out of nowhere she threw her arms around their necks. Lyra smiled and Blaise placed his arms around her waist. Hermione had the feeling that nothing could go wrong anymore.

_**It is almost over, then everything can go back to normal. At least for her. That is all I can do. Why can't she leave my mind? She is penetrating my every thought. It becomes more difficult to hold my façade. I wish this was over. But **__**I have a schedule which I should follow. It will be over soon. **_


	16. The truth

**A/N I'm sorry that I haven't uploaded a new chapter, but Internet failed. I didn't have it for a long time. I hope that this chapter will make it up to you guys!**

Hermione sat in the Great Hall, her last feast at Hogwarts. Today was her last day here. It felt weird never to walk through these doors again, Hermione thought. She already packed, repacked and checked her luggage a dozen times. The letter and the six other notes the Writer send her, were securely in her bag. She hadn't read the last 4 notes, simply because it would scare her. She had no idea who the Writer was, and reading the notes felt almost like someone was stalking her. She never mentioned it again, and Blaise never said anything about it.

She looked over at the Slytherin Table, she could she Blaise sitting there, next to Pansy. Still after all these times, she felt down, when she didn't see the platinum blond hair. She should have known better by now. Wait ... Where is Lyra? Thought Hermione suddenly. Hermione scanned the whole Slytherin Table, but there was no sign of her. That's odd, Lyra should be here, where is she?

At that moment Lyra ran into the Great Hall, holding a letter, breathing fast. The whole Hall fell silent.

'Miss Back, what is the matter?' asked Professor McGonagall and she stood up.

'Professor, everybody should be evacuated at this very moment!' Lyra said seriously. McGonagall seemed speechless.

'I don't know what gave you that idea, but we are not going anywhere. Now if you don't sit down quietly, fifty points will be deducted from Slytherin for causing distress,' McGonagall replied, slightly angry.

'You don't understand Professor. Death eaters are attacking Hogwarts and they are gaining ground, fast. We are already surrounded. If nothing happens, the consequences will be severe!'

'Don't be ridiculous. That is not true, fifty points from Slytherin,' McGonagall answered, even angrier. It looked like Lyra wanted to say something else, but she said nothing. Instead she raised her hand and snapped her fingers.

'If I'll have to evacuate everyone without your permission, I shall.' After saying that, Lyra raised her wand and flicked it. Suddenly all the people in the left side of the Hall, the Slytherins and Ravenclaws, were gone. It was if everybody disapparated. But that is impossible, no one can apparate or disapparate on Hogwarts grounds. Everybody left started to panic.

'What have you done?' Hermione heard someone scream. All the teachers, who hadn't disappeared along the other students, stood up and pulled out their wands. Hermione stood up and walked to Lyra, but she was faster; with another wave, the remaining students and teacher disappeared, except Hermione. Hermione had no idea what she just witnessed. Where did Harry and Ron and Ginny go?

'What in the name of Merlin did you just do?' Hermione asked astonished, scared and angry at the same time.

'I've moved everyone to a safer place,' Lyra answered, her wand still raised while she turned to face the doors of the Hall. Hermione stood behind her now.

'Where did you move them to?' Hermione demanded to know. Lyra turned to face Hermione, but also to still see the doors, which were now closed without Hermione noticing.

'I can't tell you just yet...' Lyra said, but halfway through her sentence she turned her full body towards the door, which swung open. One death eater walked in. Hermione was frozen in shock. She never expected death eater to come inside Hogwarts, not now. How did they get here in the first place? How did Lyra know that they were going to be here? Seconds passed, and neither Hermione nor the death eater moved. Hermione's hand slowly made his way to her pocket, where her wand was. The death eater got what she was doing and raised his wand. Would he kill her? Would it hurt? Would dying hurt? Hermione prepared for the worst and she took a step back, as if that would help, but she knew it would not do her any good.

Hermione waited for his wand to stop and cast the spell, but his wand didn't stop at shoulder height. It continued to rise and with a tap of his wand on his mask, the mask disappeared. She immediately recognized him. So it was true? Her breath was caught in her throat and her stomach twisted, feeling like she could throw up any minute.

It couldn't be true, it was impossible and yet he was standing in front of her, contradicting her thoughts. She wanted to ask him why, but the words failed to leave her lips.

'Please, don't make me do this,' Draco said and he looked over his shoulder. Hermione lifted her arm and reached out for Draco, taking a step forward while fighting back the tears in her eyes. Draco looked back at her and didn't move.

'Draco,' she whispered softly, as she was almost incapable to talk. Draco seemed to hesitate, but out of nowhere he screamed:

'GO!' and placed his mask back on, raising his wand, making his face blank so that no emotion was visible. Hermione didn't know why he did that. Suddenly the sound of footsteps reached the Great Hall and within seconds five other death eaters appeared, all masked. Hermione, again, reached for her wand, but she felt a hand stopping her arm.

'Well done Draco,' said one of the death eaters, and he took a step forward, 'they will be perfect hostages. Potter will fall for this.'

'You wish,' Hermione replied braver than she felt. At this moment her body switched to survival mode. Every feeling she had was repressed by fear and the will to survive. She noticed more details, little things she hadn't noticed before.

'You filth! You shall do as we say!' said another death eater and her raised his wand. 'Avada-' But he was cut off by the death eater she thought was Draco.

'No, don't. We need them alive. If you kill them, Potter will come, but with the intention to kill you instead of rescuing them. Besides, if you kill them we have nothing to play with,' said Draco. Did Draco really think this way about her? She knew he didn't like her, but he just spoke about her as if she was less than human.

The death eater, who wanted to kill her, looked at Draco with an expression of disbelieve. Slowly the corners of the death eater's mouth started to point upwards, creating a smile, a smile that sent shivers down Hermione's spine.

'You're right ...' the death eater said at the same time Lyra whispered in her ear:

'Think of nothing.' Think of nothing? That would be impossible. She, Hermione Granger, cleverest witch of her age, always thought about something. But because her instinct told her that she would be better off listening to Lyra, Hermione tried to clear her mind. She felt the grip on her arm tighten.

'... let's have some fun,' the death eater said and raised his wand again, 'CRUCIO!' Hermione knowingly prepared herself for the pain that was bound to come. She knew the pain; Bellatrix Lestrange used it on her when she was at Malfoy Manor, two years ago. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists, waiting for the pain.

But it never came. Instead a feeling of nausea overwhelmed her, but it felt familiar. She was definitely disapparating, but that was impossible. She squeezed her eyes shut until her feet hit the ground, what felt like carpet, Hermione thought. Slowly she opened her eyes and she was shocked. She wasn't in Hogwarts anymore! How was that possible? Just a second ago there were death eaters and now she was somewhere else. The only logical explanation was that she disapparated, but that couldn't happen on Hogwarts grounds.

The room she was standing in looked like a dining room inside a huge kitchen. It was a gray kitchen, full of House-elves. Hermione's mouth fell open; the House-elves were forced to work here and by the looks of it they weren't treated well. She needed to do something! Suddenly all of the House-elves stopped working and looked at her. They all fell silent. Why were the House-elves looking at her? Then it hit Hermione; they weren't looking at her, but at the person behind her: Lyra. She turned around and found the girl standing, looking around like she wasn't sure where she was.

'How did we get here and why are the House-elves staring at you?' Hermione asked softly yet demanding. Lyra looked at her and waited a couple of seconds before she answered.

'I disapparated us out of Hogwarts. The death eaters were close to hurting you.'

'It is impossible to apparate in or out of Hogwarts!' Hermione screamed furiously. She was getting sick and tired with this. She knew _Hogwarts; A History _by heart and it clearly stated that apparition on Hogwarts ground was impossible.

'If the Headmistress can, then I can too,' Lyra answered, like she was talking about the weather, 'you have no idea what is possible on Hogwarts ground-'

'Where are we?' Hermione interrupted, she didn't to discuss the subject anymore; it wasn't important right now. She needed to know where she was.

'Somewhere,' Lyra said, confusing Hermione and walked to one of the House-elves, asking; 'Where are we?'

'Malfoy Manor, mistress,' the House-elf answered with a high pitch voice.

'Which one?' Lyra asked curtly.

'The one in the UK, miss. We must say it is great to have you b-' the House-elf answered obedient'ly before he was cut off by Lyra.

'Thank you, that's all.' The Manor in the UK? Hermione thought. Although it didn't surprise her, she knew the Malfoy heritance was big, but that there were more than one Manor, hadn't occurred to her. And why was Lyra this mean to the House-elf? But that question was been put in the back of her mind.

'Why are we here?' Hermione asked. Lyra turned around to face her. She opened her mouth to answer, but she closed it and looked at someone behind Hermione. Suddenly a voice from behind Hermione said:

'Lyra?' Hermione turned around, not recognizing the voice. The woman standing before her rose more questions inside Hermione's mind than answers. She looked back at Lyra, but Lyra's face was blank, like Draco's could be.

'I'm sorry, my misstep,' Lyra said calmly and hurried back to Hermione, grabbing her upper arm and before she knew it, she had the feeling of nausea again. A second later Hermione found herself standing in the exact same kitchen, without the House-elves and Narcissa Malfoy-Black. Hermione had no idea what happened, but she couldn't forget the look on Narcissa's face. It was one of disbelieve, joy, pain, sadness all combined and something Hermione thought was love. Why did Narcissa know Lyra, and why was she hurt when Lyra didn't seem to acknowledge her?

'What just happened?' Hermione asked, reaching for her wand. At this moment, Lyra seemed more like an enemy than a friend. She thought she could trust Lyra, but the longer she thought about it, the more it confused her.

'I made a misstep. It was stupid of me,' Lyra replied, walking to a door, apparently unaware of Hermione's wand pointing at her.

'Where are you going?' Hermione asked and Lyra continued to walk, but slower, 'you haven't explained anything to me. Why did you apparate us to Malfoy Manor in the first place? I thought that no one could apparate in their Manor as well, except for Malfoys.' Lyra stopped dead in her tracks.

'You're wrong, after the war they became sloppy with their protection spells. I apparated us there because I knew it was the last place the death eaters would look for us. It bought us time to go to the real place we needed to go to. The place we are now-'

'Where are we then?' demanded Hermione to know.

'The place I have spend most of my life,' answered Lyra and started walking again.

'What about Mrs. Malfoy?' Hermione asked and Lyra stopped again and turned around to face Hermione.

'What about her?'

'She obviously knows you-' Hermione started.

'Haven't I mentioned? I'm from a pureblood family. My parents did a lot of business with Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy,' answered Lyra flatly.

'No you haven't mentioned. But the look in her eyes, it was as if you were closer than just a business partner's daughter,' said Hermione, raising her voice slightly. She wasn't buying anything Lyra said. The past minutes revealed the true Lyra, someone that wasn't who she said she was. Lyra was hiding something, and Hermione was determined to find out what.

It almost seemed like Lyra was about to make a remark, but she kept her mouth shut. For a couple of seconds they stared into each other's eyes. Lyra was the first to turn away and she muttered something to herself, too soft for Hermione to hear her.

'I'm sure you would like to meet the others.' This time Lyra spoke louder and she opened the door and walked thought. Hermione, who didn't want to stay behind, followed her, wand at the ready. She walked through a small corridor, and Lyra was already at the end of it.

At the end was another door which led to a large room, which once resembled a ball room, for sure. Hermione's mouth fell open; it was huge and astonishing beautiful. She could imagine people dancing in their finest clothes, with the music playing softly. She looked around and saw a stage with a piano. Hermione lost track of Lyra and walked to the stage. The piano she saw turned out to be a black grand piano. She had never learned how to play properly, but she always had wanted to. When she stepped on the stage, she saw that there were more instruments; all the instruments needed to have a life orchestra here. Standing on the stage made it looked bigger than standing on the dance floor. Combined with all the instruments, a whole orchestra could've positioned itself here and still there would be room left.

Hermione thought that she heard the closing of a door. When she looked up she saw that Lyra was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she should look for Lyra, Hermione thought. But the grand piano was too tempting. Hermione walked to it and sat down on the piano stool. She placed her fingers on the keys and pressed a C. Before Hermione could hit another key, the grand wing started to play for itself. It was a beautiful song. It started with a very happy, fast tune, but it slowly changed into a sad, slow tune, which made Hermione almost cry.

She just sat there, on the stool, listening to the music the grand piano made, looking at the keys, while they moved up and down themselves. She wondered who created this song. She hadn't heard it before. After the last note faded away, Hermione sat there silently, not wanting to disturb the moment.

'Hermione?' Hermione looked up to see her friends standing in the doorway. She jumped off the stool and ran to them.

'How did you get here?' Hermione asked while she hugged Harry.

'I don't know. One moment we were sitting in the Great Hall, the next we were here. That is, where is here?' Harry asked after Hermione released him.

'Malfoy Manor,' Lyra said, who was standing behind the company.

'Herms, how did you get here?' Ginny asked, while Hermione hugged her.

'Lyra apparated us out of the Hall...' Should she tell them about Draco? Harry for sure wouldn't believe that Draco saved her life and Ron would just become angry. No she wasn't going to say anything, not even about what happened in the Malfoy Manor in the UK. She needed more time to think about it, 'and we ended up in the kitchen here. Is everybody else safe?'

'Yes, everybody came here, plus everybody's possessions. How is that possible?' Ron asked, after Hermione was done hugging him.

'Wait, Hermione, don't you always say that you can't apparate on Hogwarts ground?' Ginny said and her head turned to Lyra, so did Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's.

'As I have told Hermione already, if the Headmaster, in this case Headmistress, can apparate on Hogwarts grounds, so can I. Will you please excuse me, I believe I have some explanations to give to professor McGonagall,' Lyra said calmly, before she turned on her heels and walked away.

'I have the feeling there is something she isn't telling us,' said Harry and looked at Hermione. She just shrugged and followed her friends through another corridor, until they had reached the dining room where all the other students and teacher were. She saw Lyra trying to calm down a hand full of teachers and all the other teachers were trying to calm down the students. Some students looked scared, others excited. The noise level increased and became so loud that people had to yell to make themselves hearable.

'SILENCE!' she heard professor McGonagall screaming over the noise level of the crowd and everybody became silent, 'thank you. Everything will be explained. We will have to stay here for an unknown period of time. There is, however, no reason to panic. This place is as safe as Hogwarts-' McGonagall said before she was interrupted by a sixth year Ravenclaw, which Hermione believed was named Luca Nightshade.

'No panic? This place is as safe as Hogwarts? Then there is all reason to panic, because the death eaters were there!' This caused everyone to panic and they stared to scream and run. Hermione didn't know how the death eaters came inside Hogwarts, but she believed that Lyra was smart enough to send everybody to a place where no death eaters came. Wait... How did she know that there were death eaters to start with?'

'EVERYBODY SHUT UP AND STOP MOVING!' Lyra screamed and everybody stopped at once to look at her.

'Thank you. This place is as safe as Hogwarts, if not safer. The only reason the death eaters came in Hogwarts was because someone let them in. Now Luca Nightshade, how did you know that there were death eaters in Hogwarts?' Lyra turned to Luca. Luca swallowed once and Hermione could see her trying to come up with a goo answer.

'You said they would,' she said, 'and then you got us out of there, which meant something was bound to happen. You wouldn't cause all trouble, so...' she stopped as Lyra slowly walked up to her; the other students stepped aside, clearing a path.

'You don't know anything about me, and if you forgot; I am in Slytherin-'

'Yeah, but you were sorted in Gryffindor,' Luca replied quickly.

'You are correct, but being sorted into Gryffindor doesn't automatically mean that I don't have Slytherin traits. Besides I don't being interrupted by someone who had poisoned my friend. Yes, Luca, I know,' Lyra said when Luca looked surprised and at the same time scared, 'It was you who fed the students and professor Slughorn the Cor frangitur poison. Slughorn would be able to recognize it and he would know the cure, so you poisoned him. But why the others? Why all these innocent students, who have done nothing wrong? You got angry when everybody got cured and you tried to get back at the makers of the antidote; the Head boy and Head girl. You knew Draco was good at potions, so you tried to catch him off guard first. Of course you quickly realized that he doesn't let his guard down. So you went after Hermione, almost succeeding, but she woke up two days later in the hospital wing. After that you came to the reason of Draco's disappearing-'

'He is a death eater,' Luca interrupted Lyra.

'Well, so that was cleared. But it wasn't enough anymore. Poisoning students wasn't your goal anymore. I should have seen it earlier. You wanted to create chaos, death and most of all; you wanted to walk away with clean hands. And that is when the death eaters come in handy, don't they? You contacted them and made a plan to let them in-'

'The same way as Malfoy had in his sixth year.'

'Yes Luca, I know. But his idea was genius at the time, while you idea is now stolen,' Lyra answered.

'Why not? It was still there, still fixed.'

'The headmistress didn't think it would be necessary to destroy the vanishing cabinet. I on the other hand thought it was. When I understood your plan, I knew it was too late to destroy; instead I ran to the hall and secured everyone. I have to admit that your plan was good, but not good enough. You see, you have thought of everything, but you forgot one important factor: Me,' Lyra said calmly, the way she said it made shivers run down Hermione spine.

'What are you of importance? You can wave your wand, but that doesn't make you more important,' said Luca rudely.

'My "wand waving",' Lyra said while making quotations movements with her hands,' brought every student in Hogwarts safe. My knowledge of defending against Dark Spells saved Hermione's life. And although I have been on the background, a lot more attacks have been prevented by me,' said Lyra calmly, pulling out her wand with her left hand and loosely hold it. Something was bugging Hermione. There was something wrong at this sight. Suddenly Hermione's eye fell on Lyra's watch around her left wrist and Hermione realized something.

'Why are you holding your wand with your non- wand arm?' asked Hermione.

'Excuse me?' asked Lyra politely.

'Well, people always write with their wand arm and around that wrist are usually no watches because it nuisances writing. Also when you were dueling with Gregory and David, you used you right hand,' answered Hermione.

'You are right. At MGS I have been taught to use both arms, for I might lose one in a fight. But I prefer my right hand,' said Lyra and she tossed her wand to her right hand, 'but Luca, there is one more thing I don't understand; why did you do it?'

'Why did Malfoy do it?' rebounded Luca back.

'It was where he was raised for. You, on the other hand, aren't.'

'You murdered him!' Luca suddenly screamed, 'he deserve to be avenged!'

'Who?' Hermione asked.

'Him.'

'Who Luca?' Lyra asked demanding.

'Tom.'

'Tom who?' Hermione asked.

'Tom Riddle.' Before anyone understood what had happened Harry tried to leap at her, but he was stopped by Hermione. Lyra grabbed Luca's upper arm and pulled her out of the crowd. Angrily Harry followed her, as well as Ron and Hermione. All the other students and teachers didn't understand what had happened and they tried to calm the other students. Lyra quickly walked to a room on the first floor, and she placed Luca on a chair, bounding her to the chair with a flick of her wand.

'Start telling,' Lyra said calmly and demanding, while Ron tried to calm Harry.

'Why should I?' asked Luca.

'Because when you don't, I know some very nice Dark Arts that will loosen up your tongue,' replied Lyra with a grin on her face, sending shivers down Hermione's spine again.

'You are not allowed to use those spells,' Luca said, her face blank, but there was a look of terror in her eyes, Hermione nearly missed.

'Well not exactly, it is not like any teacher will show up soon, and nobody tells me what to do in my own house, so ...' Lyra raised her wand to the eye level of Luca. Luca kept her mouth firmly shut.

'Cruci-'

'Wait! Fine, I'll tell you. It isn't my fault. During my fifth year at Hogwarts, I got my hands on a year glass-'

'A what?' Ron asked.

'A year glass, a time turner for years, instead of hours. But it can only bring you back for a year, after that you'll come back to your own time,' answered Hermione.

'Exactly, I accidently went back 54 years in time, to Tom Riddle's sixth year at Hogwarts. I didn't mean to, but Headmaster Dippet let me stay. I met the young Tom Riddle there and I actually found him kind of nice,' Luca said slowly.

'Kind of nice?'Harry asked furiously, 'He is a coldblooded murderer, and you think he is kind of nice?'

'Calm Harry, Luca doesn't know what she is saying,' Ron said, trying to calm down Harry.

'I do!' answered Luca angrily,' I met him and I talked to him. He does have a good view about right and wrong. During the process I actually ... fell in love with him.'

'YOU WHAT?" Ron shouted, which made Hermione jumped in the air, 'YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM? WITH YOU-KNOW-WHO?'

'Yes, I did. I was devastated when Harry killed him. He was the greatest wizard of all times and he was mine' Luca burst into tears. Nobody said a thing.

'How did you get the year glass,' Lyra asked when Luca was done crying.

'I found it in the Room of Requirement when I was hiding from the death eaters. It brought me back in time,' Luca said.

'And you fell in love with Him!' said Ron angrily. Luca shot Ron a deadly glare.

'Quiet Ronald, we don't need you comments,' Lyra didn't even bother to look at Ron. He turned red and opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind when he saw the shut-up glare Harry gave him.

'He was different back then, nicer,' continued Luca.

'He still killed someone in his sixth year,' Harry said, trying to remain calm.

'That was before I knew him,' Luca replied. Hermione hadn't said much and tried to let the words sink in. Luca fell in love with Voldemort, someone she wasn't suppose to fall in love with. Something Hermione experienced herself quite recently.

'Did he love you too?' Hermione asked. Everybody looked at her; Harry and Ron gave her a that-is-impossible-what-are-thou-thinking glare. Luca looked at her with a surprised look and Lyra gave her some sort of understanding look, which confused Hermione.

'Yes, I like to believe so,' Luca answered softly.

'Then why did he become the Dark Lord?' asked Harry.

'I don't know,' Luca confessed honestly.

'When did you leave there?' Lyra asked. Why was Lyra asking that? Hermione thought.

'Right before the last term ended.'

'In his seventh year?' Lyra asked.

'Yes, why?' Luca replied. Lyra turned towards Hermione, Ron and Harry.

'We might have found the reason for Tom Riddle's choice to become Lord Voldemort,' Lyra said calmly and only then Hermione fully understood.

_**I still don't know why Luca let us in. She doesn't looked scared or forced to. She let us in the same way I let those death eaters in three years ago. For some reason she is close to the death eaters. It almost looks like she wants to revenge someone dear to her, who once was on the Dark Side. If I only knew who. I'm glad, thought, that she could get out of there unharmed. I just hope that she can stay unharmed, wherever she is. **_

**A/N what did you think? This story is almost complete 2 or 3 chapters left. Reviews are more than welcome.**


	17. The summer holiday

**A/N I know it is a short chapter, but it is necessary for the plot. Enjoy reading!**

Chapter 17: The Summer Holiday

Hermione sat in the garden, boring herself out of her mind. She didn't know what to do anymore. There were no portraits to talk to and she had already finished reading all of the books, due to the small size of the library. The other students seemed to enjoy themselves, but Hermione couldn't. Her friends were mainly trying to arrange everything, while it was her job. She couldn't focus. She dreamt every night about him. She couldn't believe it. Luckily she could just sit here and not being disturbed.

Harry's birthday just passed, it was half August. It had taken a long time before everybody had settled down. A lot of students became homesick in the first couple of weeks. Back then, she was doing her duties as Head Girl and tried to make them feel at home. After a month everybody settled and Hermione got time to think. But she didn't want to think, because he would jump to her mind, and it would hurt.

She looked at the view; it was different from the view from the Manor in the UK. There, the Manor was surrounded by trees, but here there was only grass, and hills. There were no villages, no sign of other people. It was like they were in the middle of nowhere.

The others would be having dinner by now, thought Hermione, but she wasn't hungry. She noticed someone approaching her, but she didn't turn around to see who it was.

'Are you coming?' Lyra asked while she stopped next to Hermione.

'What's with the view?' Hermione asked.

'Enchantment, we're actually 5 miles away from L.A. What's wrong?' Lyra replied and sat down next to Hermione.

'What happens? I mean in Britain? Aren't all parents missing their children?' Hermione looked at Lyra. Again, she was confused by Lyra's eyes, which were so similar to Draco's.

'As far as I'm aware, only one of the escaped death eaters is still free. The others have been put back into captivity.

'Who is behind it?' Hermione asked, having the feeling that Lyra was keeping something from her, 'Why don't you tell me?'

'What would it benefit you?' asked Lyra.

'I need to know!'

'Hermione, the truth will unfold itself. Let's go inside and eat some-'

'What about Draco?' asked Hermione quickly and stood up, knowing that it wouldn't be wise to discuss this subject, but her curiosity won. Lyra remained seated and looked at the view.

'What about him?' Lyra asked, still not looking at Hermione.

'He is still out there, isn't he? He isn't in Azkaban, right?'

'What do you think? He might, I don't know. Why do you care?' Lyra replied and looked Hermione right in the eye. She didn't know what to say. She loved Draco. Although he didn't feel the same way about her, it shouldn't stop her from caring, she tried to convince herself.

'You love him, I understand. Don't worry; your secret is safe with me. If you want something to eat, there is some food left in the kitchen,' said Lyra and she stood up. She looked a brief moment at Hermione, before walking back to the Manor. Hermione sat down again. Was it so obvious? Did everyone know? She hoped not.

'Hey Lyra?' Hermione called out. Lyra stopped dead in her tracks and turned around, 'Why is it so important for me to know about your relationship with Draco?' Hermione just needed to know.

'Excuse me?' Lyra asked somewhat confused.

'You have been constantly hammering on me knowing about the relationship you have with Draco. What is that special about it, that I just have to know?' Lyra walked back to Hermione and stopped right before her.

'Think! I suspected _you_ to find the answer. I guess I have been wrong. I hoped it would have made _you_ wiser and wanted to question certain things, but obviously that didn't happen. I can't help saying I'm disappointed. Apparently _you_ are not fit for him,' said Lyra in a cold, sarcastic tone, emphasising the word "you".

'Fit for who?' whispered Hermione softly, taken aback by the sudden coldness of Lyra's tone and attitude towards her.

'Who do you think?' replied Lyra and walked away without saying anything else. Hermione knew about who Lyra was talking, but she just wouldn't believe it. Why was Lyra being so ... so... well, so mean all of a sudden? She sat down and looked to the sunset. Shortly after she sat down, she noticed someone approaching her.

'Can't you just leave me alone?' Hermione said angrily. She had no intention of talking to anyone at this moment.

'Wow Granger, I just thought I'd bring you the news,' said a male voice behind her. She quickly stood up while turning around and saw that the owner of the voice was no other than Blaise Zabini. He was looking at her with a glad, but at the same time sad expression.

'What news?' Hermione asked anxiously. She sincerely hoped it was involving Draco and his well being.

'The last escaped death eater has been put into custody,' answered Blaise and Hermione sighted in relief. But then another feeling over whelmed her.

'What about Draco?' Hermione asked. Her breath got stuck in her throat as she waited on Blaise's reply, hoping he was fine. She wouldn't know what to do when he was hurt, or worse; dead. No, don't think about that! Hermione ordered her mind.

'He is not a death eater, if that is what you think,' Lyra said coldly from behind Blaise's back. She managed to reach them unnoticed, 'I'll go up to the Ministry myself to make that fact known. He is in good health, so you know.' Lyra gave her a short nod and walked to the gate. Hermione followed the black-haired girl with her eyes until the first disapparated. She turned her attention back to Blaise and she saw that he was trying his hardest not to show what Lyra had just done to him. The women of his heart didn't acknowledge him being there. She knew nothing to saw. Wasn't it obvious for Lyra to notice that Blaise liked her, a lot?

'I'm off to bed,' said Hermione, wanting to give Blaise some space. She walked back into the house, slowly, making no effort to go to her bedroom. Instead, she was wandering through the endless corridors of the Manor. She knew she wasn't able to sleep at this moment, but she hoped it would clear her mind. It didn't, it only filled her mind with more questions than answers. Suddenly her eye fell on a door, she didn't know why, but there was something special about it. It was like a voice in her mind told her to enter that particular room. She stopped walking and went to stand in front of it. There was nothing special about the door; it was just like any other door in the Manor. She slowly reached for the doorknob. When she touched it lightly, the door swung ajar. Hermione pushed the door open and stepped inside the room. It was completely dark in the room. She took out her wand and whispered: 'Lumos Maxima.' A ball of light rose from her wand and into the air. Now the room was lit.

There was no furnishing in the room; in fact there was nothing in the room that could represent anything close to a chair. There was, however, a large family tree, functioning as wallpaper. It looked like the on Grimmauld Place 12, the one Sirius used to have. Only this was a family tree of the Malfoy family. She walked through the room, looking at Draco's ancestors. She stopped when she reached the pictures of Lucius and Narsissa Malfoy. Unwillingly Hermione remembered the way Mrs. Malfoy had looked at Lyra; she quickly shook the image off. Forcing herself to, Hermione looked at the picture of latest member of the Malfoy family: Draco. She stared at his face. It was a look-a-like, but on the other also not. His features were the same, but the expression on his face didn't match her idea of Draco. She couldn't quite lay her finger on it. Then something underneath Draco's picture caught her eye, and suddenly everything fell into place.

_**Everything will be alright now. She is safe and she will never be hurt again. That is all I want. **_

**A/N What do you think? Let me know. REVIEW!**


	18. The Hearing

Chapiter 18, The Hearing:

Draco sat in a chair, its arms covered with chains. He was glad that the chains didn't tie him to the chair. He looked to the Minister for Magic, who was looking back at him, waiting for an answer. Draco smiled, in such a manner that it would not look inappropriate. They couldn't hurt him. The only thing that needed to happen now was that she made it here in time.

'Yes, I have something to say, as a matter of fact. To start with; nothing is what it looks like. Yes, you are correct when you say I have been spotted around death eaters, but my motives are different as you believe. You see, no death eater in this time would reveal him-, or herself to the public. Regarding your believe, they are not easy to catch. I understood quite quickly that it had to be someone on the inside, who was to defeat them. I was informed about their breakout of Azkaban about two months prior to their escape; they were planning it quite a long time. It was a letter asking if I wanted to join them. At first I wanted to do nothing about it. When I heard that my father would kill and torture muggleborns if I wouldn't return, I sat up a plan. I would infiltrate into their close circle, intending to disarm them and hand them over to the ministry. I've done quite a good job, if I may say so. Thereby-' He was cut off by the door, of the Hearing room, which slammed open. Ah, there she was. Always making a great entrance. He wouldn't have expected anything else.

'Draco might have been a death eater but he has changed sides,' said Lyra, who just strode into the room.

'Miss Black? What permits you to come here? This is a closed meeting,' said Robert Austin, Minister for Magic, quite irritated. He obviously didn't like being disturbed. What a Minister for Magic, thought Draco. How disappointed he will be when he figures it out, 'only for members of the Ministry that are appointed to be here, and close relatives.' He waved his hand ate Draco's mother, Narcissa. Draco would have preferred if she had not shown up for the meeting. He wanted to tell her his story personally.

'I don't see why I shouldn't be here,' answered Lyra, taking her wand and a chair appeared out of nowhere. It almost looked like the chair that was positioned at Draco's desk, in his room, in the Manor. Wait, that was his chair! Oh, she was going to pay for it.

'Excuse me?' asked Austin and the rest of the people in the room where quiet. Nobody noticed the look on Narcissa's face, but Draco did. So she knew, he thought. He sighed. She wasn't supposed to know, not until after the hearing. 'You are not part of the Ministry, nor are you a close relative-'

'Guess again,' said Lyra with a playful smile on her lips. She was toying the ministers, and judging by the look of them, they didn't like it. Austin looked angrily at his secretary, a young man with blond hair and a stupid expression on his face. The Weasel was replaced a couple of months before because he got a promoting. Not that Draco cared. One witch stood up and walked out of the room, to the register room, no doubt. The room where the Ministry stored all files of all wizards and witches. Draco didn't know if they would find were they were looking for, but he hoped they would be back fast, he had no intention of staying any longer here than necessary. He had to find her and explain, he owed her a huge explanation, and the only thing he could do was hoping that she believed him. What would be a very slim chance.

The witch was back within five minutes. Austin looked at her eagerly, hoping she could give him the answer. She shook her head apologetically. Austin looked even angrier than before. Draco couldn't help but smiling, it was entertaining. He knew something what not only the Ministry didn't know, but what they should have known. Apparently she did a very good job, not slightly surprising.

'I, Robert Austin, Minister for Magic, demand you to identify yourself!' He rose from his chair, looking furious. Lyra smiled and looked at Draco. He shrugged.

'Well, if _you_ demand it, I won't tell. You might ask me,' she said toying them even further. Draco gave her a glance, trying to make her see that she had to watch her steps. She received it, but he couldn't see if she understood. If she didn't stop at the right moment, things could turn out very bad for them.

'I don't ask! Tell me!' Draco saw that Austin was losing himself. He didn't know that the Minister for Magic had such a short fuse.

'I won't-'

'Lyra,' warned Draco. He didn't want to end up in Azkaban after everything for such a tiny detail.

'All right. I, Lyra Andromeda Malfoy, daughter of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy-Black, sister of Draco Malfoy, do I need to continue? Fantastic,'. She said when she saw the head of Austin shake in astonishment,' am present here at the Hearing of Draco Malfoy, accused of being a death eater. As far as I can see, I'm allowed to be in this room. Oh and by the way, I'm seventeen already, just so you know,' said Lyra and she watched the Minister for Magic, along with all the members of the jury sit down and watch her with their mouths open.

'Excuse me?' asked someone behind her. Draco looked over his shoulder, he knew this voice. Just as he expected, Potter, followed by his gang, stood in the door way, staring at her. Hermione Granger, however, was staring straight at him. No Draco, that doesn't mean anything. She might as well still hate you.

'I'm a Malfoy,' answered Lyra shortly and with a flick of her wand, four seats were appeared out of nowhere, 'have a seat.' Nobody moved

'That is not possible,' said Weasley with a stupid expression on his face. Draco rolled his eyes at the Redhead, nobody could be that stupid.

'Really? You mean it is not possible for a couple to have two children? That would come in quite inconvenient for your family,' said Lyra.

'That is not what he meant-'said Potter, trying to calm his friend down. Wow, Draco thought it wasn't possible, but the Weasley's ears were even redder than his hair.

'Like I don't know that,' muttered Lyra and she gave a brief look at Draco, and winked to him. Draco smiled and shook his head slightly. Men, he loved his sister.

'How is it possible that you have been a Malfoy, when nobody knew of it?' finished Potter his sentence, as if she didn't interrupt him.

'That is quite an interesting question. It all started about seventeen years ago, when I was born. Draco must have been about ... Yeah Dra, how old were you?' she looked at Draco.

'I think about a year, year and a half,' answered Draco. He could see that she was completely at ease, she never used his nickname in public and talked anything less than formal. Informal speaking suited her better.

'Right, so I was born when Draco was about one, one and a half years old. We got along quite well when we were children. Always on the same page and stuff. Oh, I remember that time when Draco and I went to the forest near the Manor and just sat on a bench all day long, doing nothing. I still don't understand why...'

'We were making up the life-stories of everybody passing,' said Draco, remembering those days. He had been really happy.

'Oh yeah, that's true,' Lyra smiled and started into the distance, obviously remembering.

'You still haven't answered the question!' said She-Weasel angrily.

'What question?' answered Lyra, pretending to be innocent, which made the Gryffindors only more irritated, 'No, I'm just kidding. Anyways, I one time, when I was six, I escaped to the muggle village near the Manor. I knew I wasn't allowed to associate with muggles, but I couldn't help stop wondering what was that different about them. Draco was the first to discover my disappearance. He was just in time to see me going to the village and he followed me.' Draco remembered. He walked into her room all these years ago, he must have been about seven, and he discovered that Lyra wasn't there. The first thing he did was get outside as quick as he could without alarming his parents. He saw her walking through the forest and decided to follow her and convincing her to come back to the Manor.

'He had caught up with me half way and tried to persuade me into returning. I, as stubborn as I was, didn't want to. Draco followed me all the way to the muggle village and through it, convincing me in going back. He wouldn't leave without me. After spending an hour in the village, we went back to the Manor, where father waited on us. He must have spotted Draco leaving. When we entered the house, we were told to meet him in the dining room. I told Draco to go ahead and that I would be catching up later. When I entered my room, Risne, our old House-elf stood there, waiting. Risne had a gift. He was a Seer. He told me that my father was about to kill me and that I had to run to the Manor in the USA. At first I didn't believe him. Father would never kill anybody. He might have been strict, but he was never mean. Risne asked me if I agreed into letting him take my shape. I, who was completely ignorant at the time, agreed. He used elf magic to make him look exactly like me. I followed him downstairs to the dining room, but stayed behind. Through a door that stood ajar, I watched the whole scene,' Lyra paused and took a deep breath. She didn't look at Draco, and Draco didn't look at Lyra. It was like he was reliving it. Everything was so clearly. The smell of the wood in the summer, when they were walking through the forest to the muggle village; the twigs that broke underneath their feet; the sound of the birds, the sunshine on his face. He quite enjoyed the day, not knowing what lay behead. That dreadful day started just like any other. That day that changed his life for good.

'Father was furious; we shouldn't have been visiting the village. It was full of muggles, who were filthy and stupid. I wanted to open the door and contradict him, but Risne in my form did it for me. I was glad. I mean, I didn't hate my father, but he had to know that muggles weren't what he claimed them to be. Draco was about to open his mouth to speak, I believe in favour of me, but father didn't give him any chance. Before anyone fully understood what happened, father had drawn his wand and casted the killing curse. I don't think he knew what he did. I saw my body fall motionless on the ground, eyes wide open and I wasn't breathing. Before I realised it, my feet brought me to the fireplace in the library and I managed to get to Malfoy Manor in the USA. That is where I lived most of my live. When I arrived there, I wanted to run, to get away from the Manor. I ran outside, outside the Warts. There stood two men, you might know them; Cedric Jenkins and Thomas Spencer. They took me under their wing, and I was the first witch ever to enter Magical Guides School. You have seen the boys, they weren't all too pleased. I got a wand on my seventh birthday and ever since I'm always trying to improve my skills. I mastered all the spells that Hogwarts uses for the N.E.W.T. levels by the time I was twelve. The four years after that I've deepened myself into dark arts. Last year I couldn't stand it anymore. After I've read that father was locked up in Azkaban and the Dark Lord was defeated, I came back to find Draco. I found him two weeks before the new term started. I corresponded with professor McGonagall, and she let me enter my sixth year at Hogwarts.' The whole room was silent. Lyra stared at her hands and Draco was waiting, he was waiting for the inevitable question.

'What about Draco?' asked the She-Weasel after about five minutes of silence. Yeah, what about him, thought Draco. He swallowed. He didn't want them to know what had happened. It was never his intention to go to the Dark side. He had caused so much pain. But if he hadn't done what he had, he would have been killed, just like Lyra's body, back then. He had messed up, and only one person would understand why.

Draco stood up and walked to Hermione: 'I wish I could explain everything to you. There's only one thing I can say: Everything passes by time and time is a great healer. I can't tell them, but you can understand.' He saw Hermione's eyes widen and she clearly froze on the spot. He could literally see the realization sink into her. He brushed a wisp of her hair behind her ear. Then he sat back in the chair. For a few more seconds there wasn't a single sound in the room.

Then Hermione spoke: 'Draco's innocent.' Draco saw that the whole Wizengamot looked at Hermione.

'All in favor of clearing all charges put against Mr. Malfoy? Raise their hand' asked Austin. Draco saw from the corner of his eye that Lyra raised her hand.

'Hermione?' whispered Pot-head angrily behind him.

'Trust me, Harry, please,' answered Hermione. Draco felt a little bit relieved. She not only understood him, she trusted him, believed him. A warm feeling spread through his body. Slowly more witches and wizards raised their hand. Everyone believed the one Hermione Granger, the most amazing witch on earth. It didn't take long for almost everybody to raise their hand, all but the Weasel himself and a few other wizards. Lyra smiled widely and Mother looked relieved. She hadn't said much during his Hearing, but in the end he was glad that she was there.

'Well, I guess it leaves me no choice, but to clear Draco Lucius Abraxus Malfoy from all his charges,' he slammed with his hammer on his desk. This was it: Draco was cleared and free.

_**It was for me? All that was for me? I want to believe him, but I have to talk to him. I have to know the exact truth. It's a shame that he left so quickly, but I'm sure we'll meet again. **_

**A/N and? I hope it answered your questions. One more chapter to go, but will it turn out to be okay for Draco and Hermione?**


	19. Epilogue

Epilogue

She looked absolutely beautiful; Draco was utterly amazed. The beautiful dress which gave her body justice; the broad smile on her face, which lit her face with happiness and the elegant way of walking down the aisle. Draco let his gaze wander across the crowd; everyone was staring at her. He even saw some people cry, including Mother. He smiled. She had put her heart and soul in the decorations of the wedding, which was held in the garden of Malfoy Manor, of course.

The garden was lit by the last sunshine of that day and had bright green grass. Everywhere were bushes with flowers ranging in colours; from the brightest violet till the deepest shade of red. Mother made it into a lively, colourful, beautiful garden. It was so much better than the old, grey, dark garden they used to have. Somewhere in the distance, he could see the shadings of a sad willow, which gave the garden just the finishing touch.

Mother had chosen the location for the wedding tent well; the shadow of the Manor was just too small to cover the tent, which was now in the middle of a sun, shining bright, which was not unusual on an afternoon in the middle of June. The tent was pure white; it did much justice to the flowers, who were reflecting their colour as rays of shine-sun licked their leaves.

Not only the garden had changed; also the Manor hadn't escaped the urge of Mother to transform. Their lives had turned around one-hundred-and-eighty degrees, and Draco liked it. The Manor had its annual cleaning week, in which the entire Manor was turned upside down (because the Manor was so big, it took them a week to finish), and everything was cleaned. Only this year everything was different. Because of the wedding was not only the entire Manor cleaned, but also been coloured in, so to speak. Where before everything was dull and grey; colours where bursting out of the walls. It took some time to get used to all the brightness in the Manor. It had been so dark and grey, but now Draco had the feeling, for the first time in his live, that he was happy to be here. With the transformation of the Manor, the chapter was closed; the Dark Lord was forever gone out of the house, and most of the bad memories were almost forgotten. Draco could walk through the halls without remembering all the death and despair the death eaters brought with every visit. He had hated every moment of it.

The reason for the change was both simple, but also sad; Father had died in Azkaban a few days after the Hearing a year ago. Although Draco hated the man, he could not help to feel sad; after all, it was his father. The latter had been his hero, the person Draco was most attached to. The bigger part was glad that he was dead, but a small part still felt sad. After hearing that his father died, he inherited the family business. The first couple of weeks after Father's death had been hectic; everything was new, and it took some time to get used to it. Nevertheless they made it through and now they had a wedding. It was like faith had taken the right path again.

After everybody knew that Draco had been the wizard that captured all of the death eaters, he had been received back in the community as a hero, something he had not asked for. However, it did make everything so much easier. Even Potter and Weasley offered him friendship, which he gladly took. If they thought that he deserved a second change; then so did they.

She just reached the altar and gave him a nervous smile; which he answered with an encouraging smile back. The ceremony lasted for half an hour until the moment it all mattered arrived.

'Do you,' said Duncan Smith, the new wedding official, 'Lyra Andromeda Malfoy, take Blaise Zabine to be your loyal wedded husband?'

'I do,' said Lyra and looked Blaise in his eyes. Draco felt warmth spread through his veins by the look Lyra gave Blaise; she loved him, no doubt. He was happy for her that she found someone.

'Do you Blaise Zabini take Lyra Andromeda Malfoy, to be you loyal wedded wife?' asked the Mr. Smith, now turning to Blaise.

'I do,' replied Blaise, not looking away from Lyra.

'If someone objects to this marriage; speak now or be silenced forever.' Mr. Smith was silent for a couple of seconds but when nobody said a word, he added; 'Then I declare you two no bonded for life. You may kiss the bride.' Blaise smiled and leaned down; Lyra threw her hands around his neck and kissed him. The entire crowd stated clapping and Draco was sure someone even wolf-whistled. But that didn't matter to the bridal couple; they had only attention to each other. When they had broken apart, they walked hand in hand to the celebration tent, which was attached to the tent they were in right now. It was the same type of tent, only slightly bigger. Draco walked over to Mother. He could see she had been crying. He said nothing but instead threw an arm around her shoulder.

'Never thought that Lyra would marry before you,' Mother said with a smile when Lyra and Blaise started their first dance.

'Well, I got to play the best man; that's good enough for me now,' he answered and gave her a small hug. 'Go enjoy the party. I'm getting a drink.' Saying that, he walked away, to the buffet where the drinks were. He was about to get a drink when he saw her; she was standing on the other side of the table, admiring the decorations. It had almost been a year since he last saw her. After the Hearing, the offered friendship and the death of his father, who was buried in the Malfoy cemetery, he had left to Italy. He had spent a weekend there, just to relax; to sort everything out. When he came back; she was gone and he hadn't seen her ever since. Until now.

'Hermione?' he asked and she turned around. He saw the recognition in her eyes when she saw him and walked around the table to face her.

'Hi,' she answered, somewhat shyly.

'Hi to you too,' he replied when he stood in front of him. There was so much that he wanted to ask her. Did she know that he sent those notes? That he had done it for her, for her only? Where had she been the past year? Draco decided that the latter was the safest to start with.

'So ... Where have you been?' asked Draco.

'All around the world,' she answered vaguely.

'Why?' He couldn't help himself; it sounded probably ruder than he meant to. Apparently she didn't notice.

'I've been looking for someone,' was her reply.

'Did you find him?'

'Yes,' answered Hermione. Draco felt as if his heart was shattered into a thousand pieces by that single word coming from her mouth. He swallowed; he had been a fool, he thought, it has all been for nothing. She loves someone else. He was too late.

'Where is he?' asked Draco, feeling the urge rising to ask her who he was.

'Around,' she said and her lips bended into a smile.

'What's he like?' he asked, putting his hands in his pockets. She was toying with her hair. Most people would say that it made her look nervous. Draco disagreed; she looked gorgeous when she did that.

'Well, even though he's arrogant and a bit self-centred he is actually really sweet, kind and intelligent. He knows how to make me laugh and he saved my life. I think I'm in love with him.' Draco felt his intestines twist; he had been too late. Well is she was going to be happy with however this was, he needed at least one happy moment with her.

'Do you want to dance?' he asked all of a sudden and extended his hand. She looked surprised, but she took it and smile. He guided her to the dance floor. At that moment a slow song started. Draco impulsively placed his hands around her waist, knowing that this would be the last moment he was allowed to. She didn't object and threw her hands around his neck. They danced in silence for quite a while and suddenly Draco had to know something.

'This guy, does he make you happy?' Draco asked.

'Very,' she answered.

'Where did you find him?' he asked, while they were still dancing.

'At the place I expected to find him,' she answered mysteriously.

'Was he worth your search?'

'Definitely,' she replied.

'Does he love you too?'

'Perhaps.' What kind of answer was that? Perhaps? What kind of guy doesn't love her? That guy was a full blown idiot for not telling her he like her. He didn't want to know his name, so they danced in silence again, but the urge to know who it was grew bigger and bigger inside Draco, until he couldn't resist it anymore.

'What is his name?' asked Draco knowing that he was about to cross his own drawn line; what if it was someone close? What if he had to sit and watch them being a couple?

'Draco Malfoy.'

**Yeah he was right; he was a ful****l blown idiot. **

'Scratch that last perhaps. I'm definitely in love with you Hermione Granger,' said Draco with a broad smile on his face.

**THE END**

**A/N so what did you think? I know that most stories end with them being married and have children, but I thought it was better to end it here. I hope you enjoyed it. **


End file.
